Unheard
by Augustmoon99
Summary: There is so much to say in life, and it is not just our voices that speak.  How do you communicate when your voice cannot be heard?  Bella is not heard.  Jasper tries not to feel. Together, they learn to open up and accept life and love.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Stephanie Meyer

A/N: A huge thanks to Untamed Loner for giving me the courage to post this.

A super huge thanks to HammerHips who has offered to beta my story.

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~Bella~

Bella's truck rumbled into the school parking lot, gaining the sidelong looks and outright stares of her soon to be fellow classmates. She tried to ignore it, but took it all in in a glance. She had never liked attention, and was sure that the day would be pure torture. She could only hope the sparkle of her "newness" would fade soon so that she could escape into the background.

She snorted at the idea of her being "new". While it was true in one sense, in another it was not. Bella knew most of these kids, and they knew her; or thought they knew her. She had spent time in Forks every summer since her parents' divorce, so she had come in contact with everyone in this little town at one time or another, just not for very long. It was more the fact that she would be forced to endure their looks, their questions, the chance to "get to know her" that was more intriguing to them than the idea of actually getting to know her.

She climbed out of her truck, stumbling a bit as her feet hit the ground. _Damn weak ankles. Damn nerves._ Clutching onto the door, she suppressed the urge to look and see how many had seen her fumble. She took a deep breath, and tried to calm herself. When she felt like her balance had returned she released the door, slammed it closed and walked toward the building that she knew held the office.

Bella smiled as she remembered the meeting that she and Charlie had with the principle last week.

_Charlie opened the door to the principal's office and gestured Bella ahead of him. She sent him a small smile that he returned before gruffly clearing his throat and following. The man that sat behind the desk rose as they entered, __and extended his hand to Charlie. Bella watched him as he exchanged pleasantries with her father. He looked like he was in his mid-sixties, dark brown hair mingled with the gray that had taken over. His eyebrows were wild bushes below his creased forehead. She could see the wrinkles at his eyes and mouth, making her wonder if it was from laughter or constant frowning. She let her breath out happily as she saw him smiling easily with Charlie. She was going to need this man's help if she was to survive her time here._

_Bella stood until the man, Mr. Grebel according to the plaque on his desk, waved them down into the chairs. He glanced back and forth between the two of them, his body tensing slightly as he remembered the reason for this meeting._

_He looked to Bella. "Hello Isabella."_

_She looked over to Charlie making a few quick signs with her hands._

"_She prefers Bella." Charlie interpreted, frowning at her perceived rudeness._

_Mr. Grebel smiled easily, taking no offense. "Bella then. Well, Bella, I've been informed that you would like to start coming to school here. Is that correct?"_

_She liked this man already. There weren't many people that chose to continue speaking directly to her once they saw her signing. She smiled brightly at him, encouraged, and nodded her head._

_His eyes shone_ _his compassion. "Now Bella, it's not that I don't want you here..." he began and she frowned. This wasn't good. She looked over at Charlie sharply, worried. He awkwardly patted her leg and shifted his head toward Mr. Grebel, silently telling her to give the __principal her attention._

_Mr. Grebel had trailed off when he saw __that Bella was no longer looking at him, __but continued once her eyes were upon him once again. "I just don't know that we have the resources to take on a deaf student."_

_He looked to my father and stated,"Charlie, you must understand my predicament. We are a small town, a small school. We have never had the need, or funds, for any specialized equipment or personnel. And while this circumstance has led us to start applying for grants for this purpose, you know how these things go. There is no way we would be prepared for her next week."_

_Charlie looked at Bella and she nodded her consent, again. __They had went through this argument the night before, debating the pros and cons of bringing this man into their secret. She had held it so long, the thought of letting it go scared her._

_Bella's heart pounded and she felt __her palms begin to sweat. She rubbed them down her jean-clad legs as she turned her attention to Mr. Grebel, wanting to see his reaction._

_Charlie coughed __again, unsure of how to proceed. "Mr. Grebel, there is no need for any special arrangements for Bella."_

_While Charlie paused__ as he collected his thoughts, Mr. Grebel spoke. "Chief Swan, we don't have an interpreter for Bella. I know that she can read lips, but there will be times that the teacher will not be facing her..."_

_Charlie started shaking his head, causing Mr. Grebel to trail off once again._

"_Bella will not need an interpreter."_

_Mr. Grebel sighed. "Chief Swan. The teacher will not have the time to go back over the information just for her, and I cannot allow her education to be to spotty just from our lacking."_

"_Bella is not deaf."_

"_But..." The man's brow furrowed in confusion. "The signing?"_

"_Bella is not deaf Mr. Grebel. She's mute."_

The man had been shocked, to say the least. After much discussion, it had been decided that she could enroll at Forks High. However, only Mr. Grebel would know that she was not, in fact, deaf. This was what all of Forks believed, and for them to suddenly hear differently would turn the whole town upside down. It was already tilting sideways with her moving in with Charlie; the knowledge that she was mute would be too much for them. _It would be too much for her_. Life was so much easier when people believed she was deaf.

For some reason people just couldn't seem to grasp that she was physically unable to speak. They thought she was trying to get attention, or rebelling against something. They took their presumptions and acted accordingly, treating her like a petulant child and attempting over and over to get her to speak. But she couldn't. A defect in her vocal cords prevented her from creating any speech at all. It had devastated Renee, who in finding a defect lost the ideal of having the perfect child. Charlie, who was also impacted, had not found it to be too life altering. He was a man of little words himself, and it was he and not Renee who had decided that she would simply learn to sign to communicate with them. She could still express all her hopes and dreams, her wishes, her wants, just with her hands and not her voice.

It was Renee who had decided the world would be given the impression that she was deaf. Either in a flash of insight as to the cruelty she would experience as someone with her special circumstances, or in shame. Perhaps it was a mixture of both. Renee had come to rely so heavily on the story of her deafness she sometimes herself forgot that Bella could hear her speak. Much to both of their regret.

Bella shook my head to dispel these sad thoughts. This was a new start. She needed to try and be positive. New people to watch, discover, figure out. After all, people would soon stop watching her and she would not stop watching them. She loved people watching, and since most people didn't try to communicate with her - and frankly often overlooked her - she was free to watch them. You would be surprised at how much you can discover about a person when they though no one could see them.

Like that girl over there with the curly brown hair.

She was dressed so similarly to the blond next to her, mimicking her stance and flirtatious gestures. But her hand was holding the edge of her skirt, as if she wished she could pull it down a little more, reveal a little less. She was a follower, someone desperate to be something more. _Or at least to be perceived as something more._ I shook my head sadly as she looked at the boys they were talking with. The first one that had sandy blond hair and boyish looks was smiling at them both. The other, a taller, dark skinned boy had a rakish smile. They both gave the girls a once over as they walked away, eyes lingering on hips and legs, but the blond boy had a dreamy look in his eyes while the darker one had a leer. Clearly the blond had yet to lose the innocence of mind or body.

Bella lost herself in her observations as she walked quickly, yet carefully to the office. She noticed the stares of the students she passed, yet she made sure that no eye contact was made. She really didn't want to have someone come up and try to have a conversation, or even worse have them make eye contact and then rudely turn away. Those hurt; the acknowledgment of seeing her, but then deciding that she is not worth the effort of conversation. While she understood, she could never seem to stop that little kick in the gut that happened when they turned from her.

Bella entered the office and smiled at the red-haired woman behind it. Though she couldn't help the thought that perhaps someone should have told her that the color red she was sporting was not natural, especially for someone her age. She smiled back, "How can I help you dear?"

Bella handed her one of the note cards that she and Charlie had filled out yesterday in preparation for her first day. _My name is Isabella Swan. I'm new. I'm here for my schedule._

She read the note and smiled widely, a bit of pity glinted in her eyes. "Welcome to Forks High Isabella. Let me get your schedule for you. Wait just a moment." She spoke louder and much slower than she had before knowing who she was talking to. Bella smiled to herself as she went to pull out the card she was sure she would be using a lot today. _I can read your lips. Please speak as you normally would._

The secretary flushed slightly and went to shuffle through some paperwork in front of her. When she spoke again it was in a normal tone. "Okay dear, this first one is your schedule and the second is a map of the school. The last one is for the teachers. Get them to sign next to their name, and then return it to me at the end of the day. Alright?"

Bella smiled warmly at the woman and nodded. Her hand rose to her mouth and then fell to the waiting palm in front of her, signing her thanks. She mouthed the words as well.

"You're welcome dear. If you need anything please let me know. Have a good day. I'll see you at the end of classes."

As she nodded her understanding, Bella turned and walked out the door and headed for her first class.

Bella had taken the chance to acquaint herself with the school's odd layout the previous week after the meeting with the principle. She had never before seen a school separate itself among so many smaller buildings, but at least they were smart enough to have assigned an area of study for each building. The first building housed all the offices and conference areas, as well as the nurses' office. Bella was sure to make note of that particular room, as she was sure she would visit it often. The next few buildings held the academic areas: English and History in the second, Sciences in the third, and Art and Music in the next. The gym was the last building, and Bella was glad that it had been decided that she would not have to go through the torture of gym class. She hoped that the only time that she had to enter that particular building was for assemblies or any sporting events she was forced to go to.

She glanced down at the paper for what felt like the hundredth time, and again confirmed that her first class was History. She walked into the room and went straight to the teacher, not wanting to think about what eyes might be on her. She smiled at the man and passed him the paper to sign as well as a preprinted message introducing herself and her "special needs". It also stated that she could read lips and did not need them to take any special considerations other than the fact that they could not expect her to answer any questions vocally.

The teacher signed the paper and told her that she could take any seat that was open. She nodded, took a deep breath and turned to take in the classroom. As she walked among the desks, she glanced around the room and saw that only a few students were in the room so far. Her eyes passed over them and then immediately returned to the most stunning man she had ever seen in her life. And he was looking back at her.

Her feet stumbled and she stopped, holding onto the desk next to her to regain her balance. But even though she was in no danger of falling, she still felt like she was moving. Her head was spinning as she took him in. He was sitting in a desk in the back of the room. His clothes seemed to show off his trim form, even while seated, and his hands rested relaxed upon the top of the desk, but his fingers twitched slightly as if he wanted to take a hold of something. Her own fingers clenched into fists as she looked at the blond waves of hair falling forward, slightly hiding his eyes. She wanted to push them back, to feel the texture of it against her fingers. She wanted to gaze into his eyes and discover the true color of them.

Her visual exploration of him was cut off with the giggle of the girl next to him. She felt cold all of a sudden, then hot with embarrassment. The girl was a waif. Thin to the extreme, her dark hair bobbed about her as if the idea of lying flat was an inconceivable notion. Bella could see that her eyes were a strange golden color and they sparkled with mirth. Her mouth was turned up in slightly smug smile. _Smug?_ Was she interpreting that smile right? What did this girl have to be smug about? Was she already being set up as the butt of some joke, or the proof within some bet?

She sat down in the desk she was clutching, suddenly unsure of herself. For the first time in a long time she lost herself completely to her thoughts, unaware of anything around her. She jumped when someone tapped her on the shoulder; it was the brown haired girl she had noticed outside of the school.

"Hi. I'm Jessica. Do you need help reading that?" she pointed to the schedule Bella had been blankly staring at.

Bella looked at her, confused. Had she heard her right? Had she actually asked her if she wanted help reading? The girl must have thought she was taking too long to answer, because she tried again. Only this time she spoke slowly, as if talking to an idiot.

"Do you..." she pointed to Bella, "need me" pointed to herself, "to read that for you?" She ended by pointing to the paper again.

Bella stopped herself from snorting, but could not seem to stop herself from talking back to her in the fluid movement of hands. "_I'm supposed to be deaf, not blind or dumb."_

There was a little giggle from the girl at the back of the room and Bella flushed red. She bit her lip and chastised herself. The girl was just trying to help her, so she shouldn't have been so short. She hoped she hadn't offended her and lost a possible friend. There weren't many people who would approach her knowing her 'special needs'. She looked up at the girl again, and she was watching her expectantly. Clearly, she had not understood the motions or the annoyance on Bella's face. Giving her a small smile Bella shook her head and mouthed the word, "_No."_

"Oh, okay." the girl responded easily. "Well, I wasn't sure. How was I to know? You were just sitting there staring at it like it was a foreign language. Did you know that?" Bella shrugged, but the girl continued on, as if a response wasn't needed.

"But it's good to know you can read. I mean it sucks that you can't hear me, but if you couldn't read. Wow. That would, like, super suck."

One of Bella's eyebrows rose at the words coming from the girl, Jessica's, mouth. Perhaps she really was an idiot. But a well-intentioned idiot was better than a malicious one. At least she wasn't expecting responses. Maybe she just liked hearing the sound of her own voice? Some people just couldn't stand silence and had to fill it with something, anything. Even stupidity. Jessica seemed to be one of these people.

"Like, how do you even talk to people? Is your life filled with yes and no questions? Cause, I can try and do that, but after a while I'd want to know, I don't know, something more than a yes or no. Cause, like, if I wanted to start dating a boy…" Her eyes flicked across the room at these words, then back before she continued, "…and I wanted to know what you thought of him I'd, like, want to know. Not have to guess with yes or no. And if you started dating someone I'd like to be able to talk to you about it. Like, really talk to you about it." There was a slightly feverish glint her eyes at this, as if she hungered for this kind of knowledge.

Bella was surprised that she felt relief that Jessica's eyes had flicked in a different direction than her man. Wait, had she just thought of the blond man from the back of the room as _hers_? Why? They hadn't even spoken to each other. Just because she felt incredibly drawn to him did not make him hers. But, oh God, she would love to be able to claim him.

She resisted the urge to look at him again, her shoulders hunched forward slightly, forcing her to remain facing Jessica.

"You do date, don't you?" Bella shrugged in response to this. She _could_ date; if anyone asked. They just didn't ask. Would he ask? She tried to stop that though from moving forward. The last thing she needed, especially on the first day, was a crush. She had had a crush before, only to have her hopes cruelly destroyed. Why would this man, for surely he was no boy, be interested in her? Surely he had a girlfriend already. Maybe that waif of a girl next to him? They would match well. Her dark to his light.

Jessica's voice broke into her thoughts. "Good, 'cause I would want to know _everything_. Do you have a boyfriend?" At this Jessica actually stopped talking and waited. Obviously this was a question that needed a response.

Again Bella shook her head and mouthed, "No."

"That sucks."

Bella's brow furrowed slightly. How could not having a boyfriend be worthy of sucking? But since she had no experience to go on, she really had no idea what it was that she was missing. Ignorance is bliss and all that. Maybe it did suck. But if it did, she was happy not knowing. Life was lonely enough without knowing all that could not be.

"I don't have one either. Well, not yet." Again, her eyes flicked across the room. Bella turned slightly to see who it was that was Jessica was obviously referring to. She smiled to herself when she saw the sandy haired boy from earlier. She turned all of her attention back to Jessica, but she hadn't noticed her observations. She was starting to get a faraway look in her eyes.

"I have someone I'm interested in, and I think that...with the right encouragement...he will ask me out. No. I _know_ he will." Her eyes were bright with determination.

Bella didn't understand why if Jessica liked this boy so much she didn't just ask him out herself? But who was she to say this? She had never asked anyone out either. It's so much easier to say 'just ask' than to actually go and do the asking. Plus there is always the risk of rejection, and who wants to deal with that? So, who could really blame Jessica for wanting this boy to ask her instead. At least you knew the boy's feelings up front. Maybe that was the encouragement she was talking about. The flirting and such. This was a way for her to show him how she felt, to let him know without so many words that she liked him and wanted to go out with him. If he didn't reciprocate, well then, it could all be chalked up to harmless flirting, and no one would be the wiser. Hurt feelings would remain a secret, to be harbored and mourned over later in private, rather than publicly.

The teacher walked to the front of the class and cleared his throat. "Okay, kids. It's that time. Settle down. Let's get ready to start."

Jessica sat in the seat next to Bella and tried unsuccessfully to tug her skirt down a bit more. When this failed she instead placed her hand on her outside leg, hiding some of the skin, in a very practiced move. Bella gave a little smile at her actions and quickly pulled her Notebook computer out of her bag and turned it on. This was her excuse for not needing an interpreter; she couldn't stop to look down while taking notes, so instead she would type them as he spoke. Bella had learned long ago the art of typing and not looking at the screen. It was almost second nature to her now.

Bella ignored Jessica's little gasp of surprise at seeing her Notebook, as well as her little frantic whispers since she was not looking at her. Jessica finally figured out why she wasn't responding and tapped her arm, allowing Bella the excuse to look at her and respond.

"You have a Notebook? That is so cool! What are you going to do with it? Do we get WiFi here?" She looked around as if she would be able to see the invisible waves that allowed internet access.

Bella tilted the screen toward Jessica and typed. 'This is how I take notes. I will read the teacher's lips and type them here.'

Jessica's brow furrowed. "But what about when he turns around, or it writing on the board?"

Bella smiled widely, relieved to finally have gotten a logical question from her. Maybe she wasn't so stupid after all. In response she pulled a digital recorder out of her bag and placed it on her desk. 'I'll record the class, and any time I miss something, I note the time and get someone to tell me what was said later.'

"Wow. You are, like, so prepared. That is so nerdy of you. All I have is some paper and a pencil." She held up a binder filled with paper and a mechanical pencil.

Bella shrugged and ignored the insult. 'Think of this as my paper and pencil. I would gladly use those, but I can't look away from the teacher or I'll miss something.'

"You, like, seriously, have to look at the teacher all the time?" Her eyes were wide with shock. "I couldn't stand to just, like, stare at them. They are soooooo boring. And dress sooo old. Ugh."

Bella couldn't afford to talk more, knowing the teacher was getting ready to start class. She knew it would take more time than she had to get Jessica to understand all the preparation that she had to go through just to try to live a normal life. 'We can talk more after class if you want, but I must watch the teacher now.'

Jessica just nodded, and continued to look at her confused as Bella looked away and cleared her side of the conversation off of the screen.

"As most of you know, I'm Mr. Corburn, and this is your senior History class. If anyone is in the wrong class, now is the time to leave." He paused and looked around, but no one moved. "Alright. Let's start with attendance."

Each student answered to their name being called. Bella had wanted to try to remember which names went with what person, but when the name Jasper Cullen was responded to, she was no longer able to think. His tenor voice washed over her, and her spine straightened with the shock and tingles of awareness that came over her. She began to ache, and could almost feel the distance between their two bodies. She needed to be closer to him. Needed... something. Her hands started to shake and her heart beat loudly in her ears. The world went fuzzy along the edges, and for a moment she was truly deaf.

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A/N: Thanks so much for reading! Let me know what you think. I try to respond to all reviews. :)


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Stephanie Meyer

A/N: Big thanks to my beta HammerHips!

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~Jasper~

"Alice, why are we going ten miles UNDER the speed limit?" Jasper growled to Alice from the passenger seat.

Alice's laughter chimed throughout the car. "I just want to be careful. You do realize that Chief Swan's daughter is starting today? It is possible that he might take her to school. And _I_ don't want a speeding ticket on my record."

"If anyone would know that, it would be you Alice. Why are we really going so slow?" Jasper pushed.

Alice's hair bounced happily as she swung her head to look at him, eyes wide in mock innocence. "You don't believe me?"

Jasper didn't answer, and instead turned to look at Edward. "Edward? Care to enlighten us?"

Edward grimaced, his hand coming up to rub the bridge of his nose. "If only I could. She's blocking me."

Emmett gave a loud chuckle. "Dixie Chicks or Robert Frost?" He leaned forward, as if he had made an internal bet with himself and the day's antics were based on the outcome. His face fell when Edward instead answered. "Lady Gaga."

Emmett plopped back into his seat with a pout, his lips turned downward. Rosalie leaned her voluptuous body into her husband's, matching their bodies together like connecting puzzle pieces. "Em, it's okay. You can still make out with me in the halls and watch the humans try to not get all hot and bothered." She kissed the corner of his mouth and it turned up in a satisfied smirk. He pulled her even closer, almost seeming to meld their bodies into one as he turned his mouth to hers and deepened their kiss.

Jasper gave a little cough when the lust started to become overwhelming, a cue for them to stop. They gave one more soft, loving kiss before Rosalie simply laid her head on Emmett's massive shoulder; the love between them became the dominant emotion emanating from the couple, until their satisfaction spiked. Emmett's for having achieved the desired outcome of gaining an excuse to grope his wife in public, and Rosalie's, for knowing what Emmett was after and giving it to him without realizing his manipulations were clear. Rosalie winked at Jasper in the rear view mirror and pushed a spike of mischief at him. Jasper just silently chuckled at the two. Edward, being able to read all of their minds, simply looked out the window so his expressions didn't give away any clues and allowed them all to enjoy their games.

Jasper looked out his own window. He let his eyes lose focus until the world outside the car became a blur of colors as he became lost in thought. Would he ever find a love like Rose and Emmett, or like Carlisle and Esme? While it was true that both Alice and Edward were still single, he felt that they were far more likely to find mates than he. There was so much good in them, so much light. Especially Alice. She was the light that rescued him from his dark past.

He tried not to remember his time with Maria and her sister— which soon changed to simply Maria—but vampires never forget. Time didn't soften the edges of his memory, and they still cut just as deep as when they first occurred—they tore at his soul just as strongly as they did when he was immersed chest-deep within the hell that his life had been at the time. He had given himself over to his basest instincts in order to survive. Only the beast within him had been able to handle all the pain and misery. Pain and misery that _he_ had caused. _All the death. The destruction_.

But even his beast could not overcome his gift. As his gift had matured it had become easier and easier to connect to those around him, whether he wanted the connection or not. His empathy had brought back a spark of his humanity. To feel the pain you bring and the love that you shatter will make even the hardest man crack. Even after escaping Maria he had wandered for years, just trying find his way back to the light. Hell, he would have taken any shade of gray over the darkness that surrounded him. Drowned him.

He had turned to Peter and Charlotte from time to time to try to stave off the abyss. He loved the man he called his brother and his wife. They helped to keep him grounded and prevented him from going to the Volturi and asking for them to end his existence. But their love and acceptance of each other only made him feel dirty. It made him remember all that he had done, and how alone he was, and eventually it drove him away time after time. He had a darkness within him that could not be tempered by his regret, and seeing them only served to remind him of such. Meeting Alice had been a turning point in his life. He smiled slightly as he remembered.

_He was sitting in a cafe, staring at a young man; watching the carotid artery in his neck throb and pulse with the movement of his heart. The man was been anxious, fearful, worried, excited. Jasper opened himself up to the man's emotions, using them to gain a better insight to him; to see if he wanted to use this man to expose himself and set the Voltouri upon him._

_He watched the man's hand return time and again to his pocket, only to escape and then reach for his handkerchief to wipe off the sweat that had accumulated in his palm. Jasper felt the man's determination grow as the time passed, until, with resolve, he reached into his pocket one last time and pulled out a little box. He opened it to reveal a modest diamond ring. Shame washed over Jasper. This man was getting ready to propose, and here he was contemplating using him as a pawn for his own suicide. He wondered with a passing curiosity if the woman would say yes._

_A girl dropped into the seat next to Jasper__, and cheerfully announced "She's going to say yes."_

_Jasper quickly cut off the empathic connection he had made with the man and turned sharply to gape at her. Clearly this tiny girl was one of his own kind, for no human could have approached him without him being aware of it. Hell, another vampire shouldn't have been able to sneak up on him. He examined her closely. Her pale skin gave off a slight shimmer that only the eyes of the supernatural would be able to tell was a subdued sparked in the indoor light. Her pink lips smiled brightly, her perfectly straight teeth exposed. Her wild dark hair quivered around her, and there was a mysterious energy that seemed to linger in the air around her. The most startling thing about her was her eyes; her golden eyes._

"_Excuse me?"_

_She nodded to the man, "The girl he is going to propose to. She's going to say yes." They watched him stand abruptly and head out the door._

"_And how would you know that?" Jasper asked. He wondered who this girl was, so he questioned__,__"Who are you?"_

"_Oh! I've forgotten that we haven't met yet!" she giggled lightly and leaned forward, her hand held out for his. "I'm Alice!"_

_He didn't take her hand. Physical contact would only make it harder to control his gift. At the moment, he was simply feeling her excitement and friendship, but touching her would allow him deeper access to her emotions. And vampires felt so deeply, so passionately that he __tried to not touch any vampire, save those he felt closest to. He grimaced when he realized that would only be Peter and Charlotte. There was no one else he trusted; no one else he would want to know on that kind of level. For once a connection was made, it was so much easier to tap into them; so much harder to keep them out._

_She continued to hold her hand out, and when he still would not take it her tinkling laugh echoed through the small room. "I won't bite you."_

_He gave a soft growl only she could hear. "As if you could hurt me even if you did." He tilted his head and arched his neck out a little, which allowed__ some of the scars along his throat to be exposed. He waited for her fear._

_He felt no fear. No surprise. No horror. No revulsion. None of the emotions he had come to associate with his scars. He only felt a deep affection. Who was this girl who felt no fear of him?_

"_Who are you?" He asked again softly. Jasper held himself still; suppressed his emotions. He could not afford to feel anything right now. He could not hope, when he had been sure all hope had been lost._

"_Like I said, I'm Alice," she replied, letting her hand fall to the table._

"_Just Alice?"_

_She nodded. "Yes. I don't__ remember anything about my life before I woke. Just my name."_

_Jasper tensed and looked around, expecting to see another with her for surely her creator would be around somewhere. He __scanned the room again, reanalyzing it for its advantages and disadvantages in a fight scenario. Escape never crossed his mind. No one could beat him, why run? He decided he would try to lure them out to the alley first._

"_I'm alone; there's __no need to make attack plans."_

_His eyes narrowed as he took in her calm confidence. She simply shook her head and laughed again, drawing the eyes of several men with its musical quality. "Oh, don't be sour with me. I could try to hold out and make you figure it out; but I can see that would only end badly. You are no fun. We'll have to loosen you up. And what's with this outfit?" She pointed to his suit in an up and down gesture of her finger. "It's at least a decade out of date. You look way too young to be dressing that old. If you're__ going to mingle with people, you must learn how to blend in a bit better. Or blend in as well as any one of us can."_

_Jasper suppressed a growl. If it was possible for a vampire to get a headache, it surely would have happened __with the way she talked to him. It seemed like she was incapable of giving a straight answer. He tensed and his body shifted__ to the edge of his chair when she abruptly stood._

"_Oh! It's time," she looked at him expectantly._

_Jasper didn't know when he had __been more confused in all of his existence._

"_Come on! I don't__ want to miss it." She waved him forward impatiently, her body turned toward the door._

_Jasper sighed as he rose. He decided that the only way to get answers from her was to follow. She squealed in excitement__, "Yay! Now hurry up. If we don't walk at a fast human pace we won't get there in time."_

_He allowed her to lead, but stayed within a pace or two of her. He kept his eyes on her. He wasn't going to let her escape if she changed direction suddenly. He was determined__ to find out what was going on if it was the last thing he did._

_He watched her move through the crowd. She flowed gracefully among the people, like a leaf gently moving along a stream. She even twirled and clapped happily a time or two, causing Jasper to smile slightly as he absorbed some of her happiness and joy._

_Soon they were at the edge of the city park and Alice sat down on a bench. He cautiously sat down next to her, as his eyes scanned his surroundings. He saw the man from the cafe; the one he had been watching. He glanced to Alice and she nodded to indicate that they were here for him. He turned back to the man, again watching__, as the man__ sat on another bench. This one was next to the pond where ducks __wandered nearby, looking to him to see if he was going to offer them any food. They waddled away indignantly when he ignored them. Jasper wasn't even sure if he knew they were there, for the man was again staring intently at the ring in his hands. _

_They watched as his head shot to his right, and he hastily shoved the box in his coat pocket. He stepped forward, hands outstretched as a beautiful woman approached him. She was smiling widely, a blush on her cheeks._

"_Brandon!" She called to him, her voice so full of love that Jasper didn't need to use his gift to know her feelings._

_Jasper looked to Alice, and saw her smiling softly but knowingly. He opened his mouth, but she just shook her head and said, "Just watch."_

_Jasper became entranced in the scene before him. The man, Brandon, was declaring his love for the woman. He explained how he was unworthy of her, but that she was the missing piece of his soul; and if she would but let him__, he would spend the rest of his life trying to make her happy. Jasper could smell salt on the wind, and knew the woman was crying. She nodded her head, unable to speak when he knelt before her and revealed the box__. She offered her hand and it shook slightly as he placed the ring upon her finger. Then they were embracing, and laughing happily._

_Jasper so desperately wanted that. A mate. Someone to accept and love him. He decided that if he ever found her he would be like this man Brandon. He would dedicate his entire existence to her happiness. His mood fell. Who was he kidding? Who would love a monster like him? He turned back to Alice when she placed her hand softly on his shoulder; a silent request for his attention._

"_The road will be long and hard, but you will find her. Together you will be so happy, and will make others turn away in jealousy at the brightness of your bond."_

_He just looked her, trying to shove down the spike of hope and longing he felt at her words._

"_Who are you?"_

Jasper's smile widened as he came back to himself. It had taken almost a year to get all of the answers from her, and even then it had taken the bribe of a chance to "bring his wardrobe into this decade" for her to finally sit down and answer him without any vagueness. Edward chuckled as his remembrances, for he had seen this part himself. Alice had led them to the Cullens not even three months after she had found him. They had not withstood the force that was Alice nearly as long, and had given in before they had even been there a month. Esme had been forced to turn one of the spare bedrooms into a space for extra clothes, for it seemed that Alice was incapable of not buying something if it reminded her of someone. But she did it all in love, so no one took offense, and then began to depend on her for these very things.

Soon, it was almost expected that before you even knew you wanted something, it would be there waiting for you. Like when a new medical volume was published that Carlisle happened to have interest in, it was there. When there was a new game or movie coming out that Emmett wanted, it was there. When Esme saw a side table or painting in a magazine that caught her fancy, it would arrive. When a new mechanic's tool was put on the market, it was soon in Rose's toolbox. Even Edward had come home to a new piano once when he had decided to get back into composing.

"Finally!" Emmett crowed as they pulled into the school parking lot. He tried to open the door before the car was even stopped. "Alice..." He whined when he found the child safety locks had been activated.

Alice and Rose shared a laugh before Edward calmly opened his own door and glanced at Emmett, feeling slightly victorious.

"Alice, why is Eddie's door open and not mine?"

Alice answered while Edward sighed in frustration. "Because Edward knows how to wait and not just jump from the car before we stop. Think of how it would look with you tumbling from the car and not having a scratch on you, then what?"

Emmett pouted. "But Ali, I want to see how many people Rose and I can turn on before the bell rings. You are severely cutting into our number count."

"Like it's even a challenge with these hormonally raging teenagers." Edward said derisively. "And how many times have I told you not to call me Eddie? My name is Edward. Ed-ward."

Emmett smiled wickedly and ignored the name comment. "Sure, it_ is_easy to get them to think dirty..."

"Very," Edward said dryly.

"...but Rose and I base it on how many guys have to start putting stuff in front of themselves to hide their boners."

Edward cringed at the crudeness. "Honestly Emmett, is that even necessary?"

"Necessary, no. Fun, yes."

Jasper chuckled at the pure mischievousness coming off of Emmett. Emmett was a tease and prankster through and through, but it was all in good fun; he was never cruel or intentionally hurtful. Unless you count the time he stuffed raw meat into the glove compartment of the art teacher's car—she was a vegetarian, and the smell of rotting meat had not been pleasant. But Emmett had justified it, saying that she had been too harsh on him for his final project; the paint he had thrown upon the canvas and everyone else in the room, was abstract art and she was an idiot if she didn't understand his creative side.

Jasper finally opened the door for Emmett and he leapt out of the car. He held his hand out to Rosalie and pulled her to him as he asked, "Hey Jasper, want to help out by telling us when we are about to overload someone? Last thing we want is to have someone jizz themselves on the first day, cause that's _so_ not cool."

Before he could answer Alice piped up, "No. Jasper and I have to get to class. I want to find the perfect seat."

Emmett looked confused and Jasper felt the slight bewilderment that came off of him. "Why does Jasper need to be there for that? You can just save him a seat if you want him next to you."

Alice was feeling very determined and Jasper began to get suspicious. "He needs to be there," was all she said.

Jasper simply shrugged; it had been proved in the past that it was better to follow Alice's instructions when she started to get cryptic. Plus as determined as she was, he wasn't about to start a scene. He preferred to stay out of the notice of the other students—or at least as much out of notice as a vampire could be amongst humans.

Rose tugged on Emmett's hand, distracting him when she commented, "Clock's ticking."

Jasper watched as Emmett grinned down at her and pulled her along, looking around for the best spot to gain the most attention, and therefore get the most reactions.

Jasper looked to Edward. "Coming?"

Edward simply shook his head, "No, my class is in a different building. And I want to stay as far away from those two as possible." He nodded toward the couple, who were leaned against a tree in the center of the small campus, arms wrapped around each other. Rosalie's knee was rubbing up and down Emmett's thigh, showing off her legs and ass in her tight pants.

Edward wandered off, his face a hard mask; a fruitless attempt to silently dissuade people from gaining an interest in him. Fruitless, because Edward was the most desired boy in school even despite the natural aversion humans have to vampires. But that was one of the many reasons they wanted him, because they couldn't. Jasper doubted, deep down, that any of them had any real affection for Edward. Actually he knew; he could feel the glamor pulling them in. The prey attracted to the predator, and it was instinct that also held them back. So the student body contented themselves with 'what ifs' and 'could haves'. He felt bad for Edward. Jasper only had to feel the emotions, but surely the thoughts behind them were worse, especially for a prude. Jasper didn't feel guilty in the slightest for using his gift against any hopeful student. If anyone started aiming their sights for him he would quickly start increasing their natural discomfort. So. while they thought of him as handsome, he was not desired by any.

Alice pulled on his shirt sleeve, "Let's go."

Jasper looked down at her and asked a question he knew she would not answer, "If you were in such a hurry to get to class, then why did you take so long to get here?"

She simply smiled and shook her head, "That's for me to know. Now move it!"

He smiled indulgently and stepped up beside her, offering his arm. She gracefully placed her hand in the crook of her elbow and laughed her tinkling laugh. "Shall we?"

They made their way through the crowd of students who lingered about, no one wanting to go to class and thus end their vacation. He was aware of the looks they were given, and felt a variety of emotions at their presence—envy, jealously, lust. It seemed he brought out only the darkest of emotions in the people around him. He sighed forlornly, wishing the day was over. He was going to go to Port Angeles and look for a new book that had come out. He needed to escape already.

"Go and get away if you want, but don't buy the book. It will be delivered by the end of the week."

There went his excuse. "Of course it is," He commented as they entered the room to the History class. "Where would you like to sit?"

She led him to the back row, near the windows—exactly where she wanted him to be. "Here," She pointed at the desk and commanded, "This is where you need to sit."

She took the seat next to him and turned toward him slightly. "I'm serious Jasper, if you need to go then go."

He shook his head as he looked at her, "No, I'll be fine. I can handle it."

"It's not about handling it Jasper," she argued.

"Yes it is. Look at me. We haven't even been here ten minutes and already I'm trying to run away! What will the others think?" he sneered. He could only talk like this to Alice, his best friend. She had known him at one of his darkest points and had helped to bring him up and make him more civilized, so that by the time they had made it to the Cullens the family was unaware of how close to the edge he had been. They knew of his past and his struggles, but sometimes he did not think they really knew him. Even after all these years.

Alice sighed unhappily next to him. "Jasper, we all love you. We understand."

"Do you?" he whispered.

"As much as we can. No one has your gift, so we can only speculate what you go through, but we try."

"I don't want your pity," he looked away.

"Jasper Cullen! When have I ever pitied you?" she asked sharply, her eyes narrowing. "You are not the only one who struggles, who has to maintain a balance."

He reached over and took her hand in his, letting his regret and apology flow into her.

She smiled softly, surprised and pleased at the physical contact. The touch itself said as much as the emotions he let flow into her. "You're forgiven."

They fell into a companionable silence. He looked around and watched the other students in the room. They talked amongst themselves easily, grouping together in twos or threes. So far the room was mostly empty.

He tensed as he saw a beautiful brown haired girl enter. Her scent teased him from across the room. He shot Alice a look of fear, but she was watching the girl intently. He looked back at her and smelled her scent again. She smelled like...home. No, that wasn't right. It wasn't that she smelled like home, but her smell made him feel at home. Who was this girl? What has happening?

"Alice..." he whispered warningly. Everything in him told him Alice had known this was going to happen. Had known what this girl was going to do to him.

"Just wait," she whispered back, her eyes never leaving the girl, obviously waiting for something. Something key.

There was something special about the girl, something that Alice was keenly interested in, and Alice didn't care about anyone in their classes. _Not like this_. The whole family tried to not associate too closely with any of the humans. You couldn't make friends without them noticing that you didn't age.

He looked back at the girl. She began to walk toward him, and her eyes scanned the room. They passed over him, and then quickly returned. He became aware of only her. Her long brown hair reminded him of polished mahogany. Her eyes were a deep and soulful brown, and looked all the richer for her alabaster skin. There was a slight blush upon her cheeks. Her figure was slight, but curvy. She was perfect.

He heard her heart stutter, and then she tripped. His felt his unbeating heart lurch and he resisted the urge to rush to her and stop her from falling. He breathed again as she caught her balance on the desk next to her. Her hair fell slightly forward and his hand twitched as he was overcome with an urge to push it back, to caress her cheek and pull her close against him. His throat tightened and he felt overwhelmed. He _wanted _to touch her; wanted it so much he ached.

He reached out to her with his gift. Connecting himself to her emotions. He felt tears of venom trying to well up in his eyes. Her emotions were so bright and fresh they made everything else seem dull and lifeless. There was longing, need, curiosity, embarrassment, and loneliness buried so deep that he wondered if she even knew it was there.

Alice giggled next to him, making him aware of the rest of his surroundings. He felt Alice's sense of victory and excitement at the same time that he felt his girl's embarrassment come to the forefront. It was tinged with shame and doubt and she sat unceremoniously in the chair she had been holding.

Wait. His girl?

He growled too low for human ears and tilted his head so that he could see Alice in his peripheral vision, while never taking his eyes off of his girl. She was radiating fear and self-consciousness. He wanted to go to her, but instead questioned Alice.

"Tell me."

She almost quivered in her seat. "Oh Jas, I am so happy for you."

"Tell me!" He demanded harshly.

She pouted. "Do you really need me to tell you, or have you not been around enough mated couples to know when you yourself have found your other half? Really Jasper, I'm disappointed in you. I thought you would have figured it out quicker."

"No, this isn't happening," Jasper said automatically. He had figured it out long ago that he was damned to live this eternity alone. It was his punishment, his penance for all the evil he had done. And surely he would not be given such a precious mate as this jewel before him. What cruelty had been placed upon her shoulders to give him to her? Who would want the scarred and hollow shell that he was? For all of the emotions that he could feel of those around him, he tried to not feel any himself. No pain, no joy, no hate, no love. He wanted— no needed—to be numb in order to survive the chaos of his gift.

He could not deny that he had allowed himself a sanctuary within the family; it was only at home that he allowed his guard to slip a bit. Not fully, but enough that he now had a bond to each of the Cullen members. They were his brothers, sisters, father, mother—all role-models and ideals to live up to. He placed them above himself, for to him they were all superior. He admired them as much as he envied them, and he hated himself for knowing their weaknesses. The demon in him analyzed them for all their faults and troubles. He knew how to defeat them all, just as he knew how to bring them all joy. Would never willingly hurt any of his family but he feared that someday he would lose control and the beast would emerge again. It would use the knowledge he had gained, and assert its domination over them all. And that would be the day he knew he would seek his end. Someone who could harbor thoughts of his own family's destruction could never be mated to this girl. This girl, who with only a look, had brought him more peace than he had known in a long time.

He broke his gaze from her and turned to Alice. "No, I will not allow it."

She sighed, a slight unhappiness coming forward. "Jasper. This is not something you can fight. Neither of you can. You already feel the pull, and so does she. Fighting it would only bring you both pain."

"She deserves _more_. More than... this." He nodded down at himself.

She shook her head. "You've never been able to see yourself properly. There is so much good in you..."

He snorted softly at that.

"There is Jasper, and maybe she'll finally help you see it." she smiled softly to him, pushing the faith and conviction of her words toward him.

He nodded slightly and then turned back toward his girl. He watched with interest as Jessica Stanley approached her, and then insulted her. He growled but swallowed it down when Alice shot a narrow-eyed look his way.

Jasper watched her hands gracefully move in the air, then smirked to himself as he interpreted what she had said. Alice giggled next to him, "She has a bit of fire in her. Maybe she'll spice you up."

He responded to her teasing in kind. "Maybe it is you who should watch out. You could get burned."

Then he realized that he was talking as if she was going to be a part of their lives. He felt his resolve cracking a little. It was so natural to think of her as a part of their family already. He turned his mind in another direction, shelving the thought for later analysis. "Is this why you suddenly wanted to take that sign language class over the summer?"

"The better question would be, why she said she was 'supposed to be deaf'?" She raised an eyebrow at him.

The corner of his lip turned up. "Are you telling me you don't know the answer?"

Alice huffed, "Just because I can see the future doesn't mean I know everything."

His eyes widened in false shock. "What? Are you admitting that there is something you don't know?"

She stuck her tongue out at him and he chuckled at her antics.

He leaned forward slightly when Jessica asked her if she was dating anyone, waiting for her answer with anticipation. He relaxed back into his chair with a shocked joy. She wasn't dating anyone. How was that even possible? How was it that some undeserving human boy hadn't laid claim to her yet?

He growled at the idea of someone else touching her. She was _his_. No one else was allowed to touch her.

Alice gave a soft squeal and her fingertips clapped together to show her joy. "Oh Jasper, you won't regret it. You two are going to be so happy!"

Jasper looked at her and allowed a little bit of hope to slip into him. But he only nodded once to her, acknowledging her words.

His eyes flicked to the teacher as he called for attention, then back to the girl as she took out a Notebook and tape recorder. He nodded in understanding. _Very smart_. Maybe he could help her study. His mind started to go into overdrive as he considered several scenarios for how he could approach her, get an introduction, talk to her. Anything. He needed to get near her, and the sooner the better.

The teacher called Jasper's name and he responded with a simple "Here." As he spoke his girl suddenly stiffened, and her back arched slightly. She radiated shock and longing. He began to lean toward her again, but the few inches did nothing to help alleviate his need to comfort her.

"Isabella Swan," the teacher said in his bored tone. He looked toward Jasper's girl.

Jasper almost hit himself in the forehead with his palm. Of course that was who this was. The whole town had been doing nothing but talk about her for weeks. He had been so caught up in her and how she made him feel, he never thought about who she was. Idiot.

She didn't respond to Mr. Corburn and his eyes narrowed. Jessica leaned over toward her and tapped her shoulder, making her jump. Jasper bit back a growl. Her head turned sharply toward the teacher.

"Isabella Swan." he said again, his voice tighter.

Her hand shook slightly as she held it up.

"If you are going to stay in this class Miss Swan then you must pay attention. I am not going to give you any special treatment. Do you understand?"

Jasper felt her embarrassment flood through her, as though it rushed along her body with her raging blush. She nodded jerkily.

"Good," he said before moving on to the next name.

Jasper started to stand, wanting to confront the asshole, but Alice's hand whipped out pulled him back down to his chair by his shirt sleeve. "Don't even think about it."

"Someone needs to do something. He shouldn't speak to her like that," he whispered angrily.

"This is something she had dealt with all her life. I'm sure she knows how to handle herself. Let it be."

As the teacher moved on, Jasper felt Isabella's embarrassment change to disappointment and resignation. Determination eased in and became the predominant emotion. He watched her lean forward in concentration, as her fingers flew over the keys. Phrases and main themes appeared on the screen in an organized fashion.

His own hand jotted down the occasional word for the illusion of his own note taking. His vampire memory would retain everything Mr. Corburn said, even though he was only aware of him in the periphery of his mind. There was no need for notes, it simply helped to maintain their human facade.

Before long Mr. Corburn was finishing his lecture.

"There will be a group project that everyone will be expected to participate." There were groans around the room at this announcement and Jasper saw Isabella's shoulder's sink down.

Mr. Corburn waved at them to get them to quiet. "You will be placed in groups of two to three. You must pick a battle within the past two hundred years and research it. I expect you to write about the instigation and resolution of the battle. In other words, who started it and who won. I also want an analysis of the battle itself. Tell me if there were any major flaws or advantages in the actions of either side and the reasons as to why they affected the outcome of the battle. You have all semester, so this will be a ten page minimum. Double spaced with research and sources. We will go more into this next time when I will be telling you who your assigned groups will be."

He paused briefly as he looked around. "Okay, that's it for today."

There was a scraping of chairs as the other students stood and began gathering their things.

As fast he could without drawing attention, Jasper approached the teacher. "Mr. Corburn? May I speak with you sir?"

Mr. Corburn looked him over briefly. "Yes, Mr Cullen?"

"Alice and I would like to volunteer to be part of Isabella's group"

Mr. Corburn's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Really?" He looked over to Alice as she appeared at his side. "And why would that be?"

Alice smiled her most charming smile. "Well, you see, Jasper and I took a sign language class this summer. I am very confident that we will communicate well with her. I'm sure it is much easier for her to sign than to write down her thoughts. So if you group her with us, you would be saving everyone a lot of preventable frustration...you included." She ended her little speech with another smile.

Jasper felt the man's relief. Mr. Corburn looked through space between their bodies and saw Isabella was still in the room. Jasper saw her look at her class schedule and the map, probably trying to find the easiest way to her next class.

She nodded to herself and looked up at them, startled to find them all looking at her. Jasper felt her apprehension and he smiled, trying to bring her ease. Instead her heart beat faster, a flush moving across her cheeks as admiration and need seeped into her.

Her eyes left him to land on the teacher as Mr. Corburn stepped forward. Jasper felt a cold chill when he lost her attention.

"Isabella, I'd like to speak to you a moment," Mr. Corburn said, his voice more gentle now that he didn't have a classroom audience.

She nodded her consent, worry on her face and coloring her feelings. Mr. Corburn waved Alice and Jasper to his side and introduced them. "This is Alice and Jasper Cullen. They would like to be your partners in the project."

Her eyes turned worried and Jasper felt her suspicion and curiosity grow. She did not respond in any way, forcing Mr. Corburn to continue and explain. "They took a sign language class this summer..." Jasper saw her eyes widen at this information "...so would be the easiest for you to communicate with. Do you understand?" He asked this last question in confirmation, not condensation.

Isabella nodded, as sadness tinged the edges of her emotions, before she turned to look at Alice. '_Do you really know sign language or is this a farce in an attempt for brownie points?'_

Alice's laugh echoed through the room as she responded, '_I doubt anyone can get brownie points from Mr. Coburn.'_ She then spoke aloud as she continued, letting Mr. Corburn in on the conversation. "I'm sure I still have more to learn, but I'm very excited to have you teach me more."

Isabella smiled brightly. _'You look like you are doing fine to me.'_

Alice started clapping her hands and hopping in excitement. "Yay! I just know we are going to be the best of friends."

Jasper watched as Isabella gave her a hesitant smile before her gaze flicked to him. He caught her look and held it, staring deeply into her eyes. He could almost see their connection grow as he stepped closer to her. He noticed how there were natural highlights of red running through her wavy locks. There were little flecks of green in her eyes. She had three freckles along the bridge of her nose. Her scent surrounded him; natural and pure with no perfume to mask it.

He leaned closer and watched her eyes widen slightly. When he was finally able to speak, his voice was slightly husky. He didn't bother to sign when he asked. "May I walk you to your next class?"

She nodded in amazement as he reached out and took her bag. Alice was bouncing on her toes next to him, happiness, joy and anticipation surrounding her.

"What is your next class?" Jasper asked, this time signing along with his vocalization.

Isabella simply handed him her schedule which he took gently from her. After scanning the page he shot Alice a knowing look before smiling back at his girl. "It seems as if we have all the same classes."

His grin widened at her sudden intake of breath and flash of joy.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading. Let me know what you think. I try to respond to all reviews. :)


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns all the characters. I'm just playing with them. :)

A/N: Thanks to everyone who has had read, reviewed and alerted my story. Y'all are the best.

* * *

~Bella~

"It seems we have all the same classes."

Bella looked up at his wide smile and air rushed into her lungs due to her surprise and delight. She smiled widely back at him, leaning toward him slightly. He reached around her and placed his hand at the small of her back as he guided her out of the History room. Alice skipped happily along beside them making Bella want to giggle at the sight.

As they walked outside, a current of air swept Jasper's scent around her. She took a deep breath to bring the smell to the depths of her lungs, then exhaled slowly wanting to savor his unique smell and flavor. She had never experienced anything like it before. She wanted to snuggle into his embrace and surround herself with it; it made her feel relaxed and happy. She hadn't been aware of how tense she was normally until this man came into her life and made her relax. She felt so much more graceful and smooth in her walk. She was aware of the swing of her hips, and blushed slightly as she felt a bit of pride at her feminine curves; even if they were mostly hidden beneath jeans and a long sleeve shirt.

She noticed that as they walked people stopped and stared at them, which confused her. What was the problem? She had expected people to watch her, but there was something wrong with their looks. Their eyes and body language screamed of surprise, jealousy and anger; none of it made sense. There was silence around them when Alice popped in front of them and signed '_My class is in a different building than yours, so I've got to leave you now. Will you have lunch with me and my family today Isabella?'_

She looked at Bella expectantly.

Bella turned slightly so that both Alice and Jasper could see her responses, feeling sadness when she had to step away from Jasper's hand at her back. '_Bella.'_

'_Bella?'_ Alice repeated with a slight head tilt.

_'I prefer to be called Bella.'_ she explained, hoping that they would not take offense at the correction.

Jasper nodded and smiled softy down at her. _'Beautiful, just like you.'_

Bella blushed brightly and looked away, not knowing what to say. Instead, she answered Alice's initial question. _'I would love to have lunch with you. Where should I meet you?'_

'_Jasper knows where we sit, he'll show you. See you later.'_ She bounced away into the crowd that had formed around them in a loose circle. People parted before Alice as she gave a last little wave and then disappeared.

Bella's hand rose slightly, her fingers curled down in a little wave. She glanced up at Jasper, her blush still upon her cheeks. His hand rose and ghosted toward her, as if to touch the color. She felt the shift in the air around her heated skin, but did not feel his cooling touch.. The closeness of his flesh made her very aware of him, of the tension that suddenly surrounded her. She felt tingles everywhere, not just upon herself, but in the very air between them. It was as if energy crackled and jumped between their two bodies—like lightning between two clouds.

His other hand returned to the small of her back. She look in a short breath, and his scent made her dizzy with its deliciousness. He had just begun to pull her closer when the air around them was split with a loud yell. "Yo, Jasper!"

Jasper jerked away from her and the hand so near to her cheek fell abruptly. Bella watched a huge, brown haired, muscular man waved to Jasper, a child like grin on his face. His large steps quickly ate the distance between them. A gorgeous woman was at his side, her head held high and arrogant. Her waist length blond hair swayed with the movement of her hips, and suddenly Bella wasn't as proud of her own feminine assets.

She was instantly intimidated by the two. These were the kind of people who tended to ostracize her; the 'beautiful people', if you had to describe them. But that description wasn't always true. Some of the ugliest people made it into the 'beautiful people' category. It was more about their charisma, their pull and power over the people around them that made them feel above others. Above her. And looking at these two, Bella couldn't help but feel a little smaller.

A glance at the other students around them showed they weren't even trying to hide their fascination with their little group. There was lust on many of the faces, boys and girls alike, and Bella had to bite her lip to stop a smile when she saw at least two of the boys suddenly move their book bags from their shoulders to let them land in front of them.

"Jas, we're up to fourteen already."

Bella watched the conversation, confused. _Fourteen what? _She saw the blond glance around then state in a slightly amused voice. "Seventeen."

The man's eyes brightened with excitement as he scanned the crowd.. "I think we just might beat our record. It's not even lunch yet."

Bella suddenly thought she understood the odd conversation, and brought her hand up to her face in an attempt to hide her smile. Her movement brought her to the attention of the two newcomers.

"What have we here?" The brown haired man asked. "Jasper, you been holding out on us? I don't think I've ever seen your pretty face before. I'm Emmett Cullen, this is my girl Rosalie." He held his hand out to her, a friendly smile on his lips. There was a dimple in his right cheek, and Bella couldn't help but smile in return.

She took his hand and gave it a brief shake before taking her hand back. '_Hello, I'm Bella. It's nice to meet you.' _She glanced between Emmett and Rosalie as she spoke, so they would know she meant it for both of them. Jasper spoke her signs aloud, so the others would know her greeting.

Bella was thrilled when Emmett continued to look at her when she spoke, instead of talking to Jasper when he responded. "I have a feeling you're going to be a lot of fun."

_'What kind of fun?_' She replied as her eyebrow raised slightly.

Emmett shrugged casually. "We'll find out soon enough."

Rosalie leaned forward, her body brushing against the bigger man. "Forgive Emmett. He lives for fun and games."

His hand grabbed her waist and he tucked her next to him. "Ahh, Rose. You love my games," His eyebrows waggled at the woman in his arms.

She smiled, her red lips parting to show even white teeth. "I didn't say I didn't enjoy them, just that you live for them. Are you trying to argue with me?" She gave him a mock scowl that even Bella could see was teasing.

His body curled around hers and he whispered into her ear, "Are you going to punish me for being a bad boy?"

Bella blushed brightly at the implication and turned slightly away from them, giving them an illusion of some privacy. Jasper shook his head and coughed slightly before looking down at her. "We'll be late if we don't hurry. Are you ready to go?"

She nodded and felt pleasure rush through her as his hand returned to her back, guiding her away from Emmett and Rosalie. She waved at the couple, but they were still engrossed with each other. But Jasper could vouch for her later if they asked, not that they would. But one never knows. They had seemed nice enough. Maybe she had been wrong about them, maybe they didn't belong in the 'beautiful people' category. Well, at least not the one she had considered before. No one could deny the devastating attractiveness of the couple, you would have to be blind to think otherwise. But she had not seen the normal reaction from them. That in itself showed Bella that there was something deeper to them than their looks. She hoped she would get the chance to find out what that something deeper was.

They walked toward their next class in a comfortable silence. She watched the ground ahead of her, wary of anything that might make her trip. The last thing she wanted was to show Jasper just how much of a klutz she was.

She walked into the classroom with an unhappy sigh. He looked at her questioningly, but she simply shook her head slightly indicating that it wasn't important. He gave a little nod of understanding. After getting the teacher to sign her form she followed Jasper as he walked to the middle row and took them to the back. He turned to her, tilted his head slightly toward the desk and brushed his fingers on it, silently asking if the seat was okay. She nodded and sat in the seat he had chosen before beginning to take her things out of the bag he placed at her feet.

He slid into the chair next to her gracefully, and she hung her head deeper, hiding her grimace of jealousy at his smooth motions. She placed the Notebook and recorder on her desk then frowned as her brow furrowed. Jasper tapped the desk in front of her, asking for her attention.

'_What is wrong?_' he asked as he leaned over his desk toward her.

Her shoulders slumped slightly before she answered, _'I'm not fond of math classes.'_

She watched him consider her response for a moment before asking, '_Is it the math, or the class?'_

She smiled inwardly. _He was good_. Most people wouldn't have thought to ask that; they would have assumed that she was bad at math and moved on. If he kept this up, he would soon know everything about her, and that thought scared her.

"_It's the class,"_ she waved to the computer and recorder in front of her, "_It can be difficult to do math notes on a computer. The equations take longer, and figures are impossible. I have to look down to do drawings and miss things. And the teachers do a lot of board work. I'm okay with the math. Just learning it is difficult._"

Of course, it was more maintaining the image of deafness that proved difficult. Bella could easily take notes like everyone else, but then it would create questions. She had to be constantly aware of herself, and it was tiring.

She watched him nod, his eyebrows coming down as he started thinking.

"_I could interpret what he says for you when he turns."_

She shook her head. "_I don't want you to miss your own note taking. Plus, that would get a lot of attention from everyone,"_ She blushed slightly at the thought. "_I don't really like having a lot of attention."_

He nodded in understanding. She watched his hand come up to his chin, and he thought. His fingers were long and slender, the nails perfectly trimmed. She wondered if they were smooth, or if they had any roughness from use. The first two fingers started slowly moving up and down the jawline near his ear in a slight curving manner. She watched entranced until he brought it down to speak to her again.

"_I guess we will just have to get together after school and have study sessions."_

Her eyes flew up to his and she thought she saw a small glint in his eye. Satisfaction. Excitement. Need.

She tried to shake her head. "_I don't want to be a burden or inconvenience."_

He waved his finger at her in slight reprimand. "_I will have to study it sometime. Might as well study with you. And you know what they say, if you can teach it then you really know it. This will be good for me. It wouldn't be an inconvenience at all."_

She nodded in a non-committal way and looked away. She would take the offer while it was available, but she wasn't going to depend on it. She had met people in the past that had made similar offers, so excited to be helpful. But when push came to shove, it was usually too much for them in the end and she ended up reading the book to study. How long would it be before he was tired of her? Before she was just too high maintenance for him?

She looked around at the other students filtering into the room. They all gave her speculative glances when they noticed Jasper next to her. She met their looks, and most looked away instantly.

Class passed quickly and with little fanfare. Bella concentrated on the teacher, took down what notes she could, and tried to remember what she couldn't. As she packed her things up after the lecture had ended she was startled when Jasper handed her several sheets of paper. Looking down at them she saw that they were full of the key points, formulas, and even a drawing the teacher had put up on the board.

She looked up at him to see his eyes were being masked by his blond waves again.

"_Jasper?"_

"_I'm a quick note taker. So I made some copies for you too."_

Bella was overwhelmed. Maybe his offer of help was sincere. She flashed him a grin before placing the notes in a folder within her bag.

_'Thank you Jasper. That was very thoughtful of you. I appreciate it.'_

Ugh, she thought with a grimace. How generic was that? Thoughtful? I appreciate it?_ Might as well say "Best Wishes" and stamp Hallmark on her ass. _

She didn't look at him as she picked up her bag and placed it on her shoulder. She started to walk up the aisle when her movements were stopped by his hand. It came forward and took a hold of her shoulder, grasping it lightly. She tried to suppress the bubbling in her stomach as she looked back at him questioningly, her eyebrows slightly raised and head tilted.

He answered by slipping the bag off her shoulder and putting it on his own. Her eyes closed at the feel of his hand moving along her arm, his strength masked by the grace of his movements. Once she opened her eyes again he gestured her forward.

She saw his eyes narrow when he glanced ahead. She looked in that direction and saw that another student lingered near the door, acting as if he was tying his shoe. But his eyes were on them and not his laces. No, not them. _Her._

Bella thought back to the attendance and believed that she was looking at Eric something or other. His dark hair was tousled and falling haphazardly onto his forehead. But his hair didn't make her want to push it back like Jasper's. It was simply an observation that was noticed and forgotten.

His eyes looked at her in wonder, and she paused, confused. She felt Jasper get even closer to her, but he didn't touch her; even so she felt more at ease. She gave Eric a small smile and he grinned widely back at her as he straightened, revealing a thin, lanky body. He moved towards them, but when he looked at Jasper, he stopped abruptly. Bella saw his adam's apple bob as he swallowed, then he turned sharply and left.

She looked back at Jasper, curious as to what had scared the boy so much. But all she saw was his eyes on her and a smug smile starting to curl the corner of his lips.

_What had he done?_ She shrugged it off as he gestured her forward again.

She was lost in the touch of his hand on her back as he guided her through the halls. She was blind to the stares around them, unaware of anything but the tightening of her stomach muscles and the sudden wobble in her legs. Slowly she became aware of the smell of food. Her stomach gurgled in response and she flushed slightly. He gave her a small smile as he opened the door to the cafeteria, letting her go in ahead of him.

She ducked her head in embarrassment as she moved forward and paused. As she took in the large table filled room in front of her, she felt Jasper's body come near hers and again she relaxed at his presence. Almost everyone was looking at them. She saw Alice, Emmett and Rosalie sitting at a table near the windows along with a copper haired boy, who looked like he was sulking a bit. But Alice was watching them, bouncing slightly in her seat as she grinned their way. She started to wave at them, causing the others at the table to look in their direction. Rosalie smiled softly and Emmett gave them a nod and smile before starting to whisper in her ear. Something she didn't want to know by the way Rosalie suddenly had a sensual slant to her eyes. She winked their way and Jasper sighed a little in frustration. The copper haired boy just looked at them with curiosity and boredom for a moment before going back to picking at his food.

"ISABELLA!" A voice screamed across the room, making Bella jump slightly. Her body bumped into Jasper and his hands came up to steady her. When he took them away, they brushed slowly and gently down her arms and she took a quick breath to steady herself.

"ISABELLA!" Bella located the source of the yell as Jessica, and the wild waving of her arm gave her an easy excuse to smile in that direction. Seeing the smile, Jessica jumped from her seat and almost ran up to her. Her eyes looked up at Jasper with a raging curiosity before settling on Bella.

"Isabella, you simply _must_ have lunch with me and my friends." She glanced again at Jasper before looking expectantly at Bella.

"She prefers to be called Bella." Jasper's smooth voice melted over her.

Jessica's brow furrowed slightly, before she smoothed it out and asked. "How do you know that?"

"She told me." was all he said in response to her question.

"How could she tell you? She doesn't speak." She said this as if she had forgotten the person in discussion was right in front of her.

"Then maybe you aren't listening," he said softly.

Bella's eyes widened slightly at his words, and she bit the inside of her lip to keep tears from welling in her eyes. He had said all of this thinking she couldn't hear. So obviously they weren't being said for her sake, or to gain approval in her eyes. She felt so accepted it made her beyond happy.

Bella felt his hand put gentle pressure on her shoulder, asking her to turn toward him. She did so with pleasure. She looked up at him with joy and adoration. Her eyes easily followed his signs when he asked, both with his hands and aloud for Jessica. "You prefer to be called Bella, isn't that right?"

She nodded. "_Yes. Bella."_

"_Just making sure. Jessica here asked how I could possibly know this, so I felt a demonstration was in order. I hope you don't mind."_ Jasper explained to her, this time only signing.

Bella shook her head slightly. "_Not at all. You already told her. I don't know why she didn't believe you. Maybe she should learn to listen."_ Bella took a sharp inward breath when she realized that she had repeated his words back to him. Words she should not have been able to hear. She tried to cover by turning to Jessica. Bella placed her hand over her heart and mouthed the word 'Bella' with a little nod.

Jessica was dumbfounded and didn't respond. Bella watched her a moment, but when nothing happened turned her eyes back to Jasper, hoping he hadn't caught her slip. "_Do you think she is going to be okay?"_

Jasper nodded. "_I think we've overwhelmed her. She wanted to know if you would eat lunch with her and her friends."_

Bella bit her lip as she tried to figure out a way to reject the offer. She had already told Alice she would eat with her. She glanced at Jessica's table to see everyone watching. She recognized the blond girl Jessica had been with that morning, along with the two boys they had been flirting with. Eric was also sitting there, a hopeful look on his face. There was another boy there that she didn't recognize and he was sitting next to a face that she did. It was Angela. Bella gave her a sincere smile when their eyes met and the girl gave her a shy little wave which she returned.

Bella and Angela were good acquaintances, if not friends. She was one of the few people who had sought Bella out when she was in Forks visiting Charlie. She had even picked up a few bits of sign language. She wasn't fluent like Alice or Jasper, but that was to be expected since she only ever used the language with her.

Bella was suddenly very conflicted. She wanted to talk to Angela, but felt the need to eat with Alice since she had already agreed. She looked over at Alice, unsure. Alice seemed to understand her dilemma and signed to her that she could eat with her other friends and that they would meet up later. Bella flashed her a smile and gave a small nod of thanks. Bella looked back to Jessica and signed to her. "_I can eat with you today."_

Jasper interpreted for her and Bella reveled in the way his voice washed over her. He handed her bag over right before Jessica grabbed her hand. She pulled Bella toward the table with the mixed group. Bella looked back to Jasper and waved at him. She let Jessica lead her as she watched his hands say "_I'll come get you after lunch so we can walk to our next class together."_

Jessica popped into a chair, dragging Bella to the seat next to her. "Okay, so everyone this is Bella. Not Isabella, just Bella. And Bella this is everyone. I'll, like, let them introduce themselves. Mike, you start." She leaned toward the sandy haired boy and batted her lashes at him in an obviously flirtatious manner.

He was oblivious to it as he smiled warmly at Bella. "Hey, I'm Mike. You're in my History class. How boring was that?"

Bella shrugged slightly and answered even though he would understand. "_I like history. It gives you insight to the past and lets you see patterns repeat throughout time."_

He blinked and looked at her a moment before turning to Jessica. "What did you think Jes?"

Bella tried not to wince as Jessica gave a high pitched laugh. "Oh, Mike. You are so right. It was, like, waaaay boring. I, like, was trying not to fall asleep. I was thinking I, like, might need to start drinking coffee. You know, to like, stay awake."

She giggled in a slightly spastic way when he nodded at her in agreement.

The dark haired boy from the morning waved at her, gaining her attention. "I'm Tyler. And _you_, are gorgeous. Are you free Friday night?"

Bella's eyebrows rose in disbelief as he leered at her. She looked at Jessica who rolled her eyes, and then the blond next to him who was scowling.

"Really Tyler. That's exactly what you said to me this morning. Are you trying to compare me to...this?" Her eyes looked over Bella with distaste. "And why the hell would you want to take her out anyways? She can't even talk back."

Bella gave a little scowl of her own at the conversation, but let it go, slightly curious to see what would happen. This is the kind of thing that revealed people for who they were. She much preferred to figure it out now than to try to invest any time on a fruitless friendship. It saved her a lot of heartache and disappointment if she sorted out the bad apples quickly. But even so, she would have to watch out and see if the poison from those people began to leech into the crowds around them. People were so easily influenced. And when you weren't given a chance to tell your side of things, it was easy to lose them to the manipulations of the poisonous.

"Ahhh, come on Lauren. Baby." He gave her a smooth smile. "You know I'm just trying to welcome the new girl." He winked at Bella before turning back to Lauren. "Besides, a little quiet is nice every once in a while. Gives me a chance to work on my body language."

He tried to say the last few words in a sexy husky voice, but to Bella it sounded like he had swallowed a frog. Lauren, however, ate it up. "Ohh, Tyler. You can practice your body language with me." She walked her fingers up his arm before tapped his nose.

She turned only long enough to say in a flat, unfriendly voice. "I'm Lauren." She then turned back to Tyler and licked her lip before starting to whisper in his ear, the occasional giggle coming from her.

Bella shook her head and looked at the next person. Eric. He gave her a small smile. "Hi. I'm Eric. We have math together. I was going to say hi earlier, but, I umm." He paused as if trying to think of an excuse, "Ummm. I forgot something in my locker. Yeah, that's it." He gave her another small smile before leaning forward with a determined look. "So...are you friends with Jasper Cullen?"

Bella thought a moment. Would she call Jasper her friend? And he had been so nice to her so far. But does a couple of hours of being nice make a friend? Bella couldn't deny that there was definitely some kind of connection between them. His voice, his touch, his very presence near her made her feel things deep within herself. Ease hurts that she hadn't known were there.

She only gave a slight shrug and nod in response to the question. Eric looked a little amazed. "Wow. The Cullens don't talk to _anyone_. Why you?"

"Wait, wait, wait." Lauren suddenly jumped in, "Are you telling me that Jasper Cullen is friends with _you_?"

At Bella's hesitant nod Lauren's eye suddenly looked her up and down again in an appraising manner, as if trying to figure out what it was that Jasper saw in her. Not seeing anything special she turned to Tyler and held a hand in front of her mouth when she said "Must be a charity case."

Bella bit her inner lip, trying to stop the smart of tears she felt in the corner of her eyes. She just shrugged and turned pointedly to the brown haired boy next to Eric. Her eyebrows rose in question, silently asking him his name.

He smiled in welcome, showing off dimples in his cheeks. "Hi. I'm Ben. Nice to meet you."

She smiled back and turned to the one person she knew. "_Hi Angela. How have you been?"_

The girl pushed a lock of her dark brown, almost black, hair behind an ear before she smiled shyly and tried to sign back. Her hesitancy caused her hands to falter, but her meaning was clear. "_Good. You?"_

Bella was so pleased that she was trying to talk to her with signs. She grinned and nodded before holding up a finger to indicate she wanted her to wait a moment. Reaching down she pulled out her Notebook and lunch. She quickly pulled up a blank word document.

_I'm doing good. It's a little overwhelming at times but I'm okay._

She tilted the screen to Angela so she could see. Angela nodded and began typing as Bella began eating her sandwich.

_I can see how that could happen. Has everyone been nice so far?_

Bella shrugged. _So far. Mr. Grebel was a little mean at first, but after class he was nice. So I don't know what to think about him. _

_I think he's a good teacher. His tests are straight forward. He just doesn't like people to think they can take advantage of him. There is no curving, and no extra credit. You have to earn your grade._

_That's okay. Not like I have anything else to do other than class stuff. _

Angela gave her a sidelong look and a little smile before typing, _Maybe Jasper will be distracting you a little bit._

Bella blushed and shook her head. _He's just being nice. He and Alice took a sign language class this summer, so they are able to talk to me. I doubt he would be interested in me other than as friends._

_You never know._

Bella saw Jessica leaning over and reading their conversation. She felt a spark of irritation, but resignation at the same time. Jessica was obviously the type of person that had to know everything.

"Why would you want to date Jasper anyway? Edward is the most eligible bachelor in school. If you are going to go after a Cullen, he's the one."

Bella tilted her head in confusion and shook her head to show she didn't know what she was talking about. Jessica leaned forward, fully in her element now. "Edward is the one on the end over there. With the sex hair."

Bella looked over at the Cullen's table, and saw the boy in question looking down with an amused smile.

"He is soooo hot. But he, like, doesn't look at _anyone_." She rolled her eyes. "He must think he is, like, too good for us Forks girls."

Bella looked at her, amused. Jessica obviously had a crush on this Edward at some point in time with no return of her feelings. Jessica continued on, "Don't get me wrong, Jasper is cute. But Edward...there is no comparison. There is something off about Jasper. He makes me uncomfortable."

Bella's brow furrowed. There wasn't anything wrong with Jasper. What was this girl talking about? He reeked of masculine sexuality. How could she not see that? And who what she to talk like that about her man? Some little tart who couldn't see a diamond amongst the cubic zirconium.

Bella looked into her lap and clenched her hands. Again, she was thinking of Jasper as hers. What was wrong with her? She had never been a possessive person, but Jasper brought out things in her that she hadn't even known existed. There was a need she felt when it came to him. A need to touch, feel, claim.

Bella came back to herself as Jessica continued, "Alice is okay. She's in history with us. The little dark haired girl. She's a little peppy at times, but not too annoying."

Pot. Meet kettle.

"Emmett is the big muscly guy. And Rosalie is the blond. They are, like, together. I mean _together_ together. That is just so creepy."

Angela tapped her arm, drawing her attention. "They are all adopted by Dr. and Mrs. Cullen. They aren't related. They just live in the same house. There is nothing wrong with it."

Jessica scoffed as Bella turned back to her. "Nothing wrong? They are, like, _living_ together. They are probably even having sex." She nodded matter of factually at this.

Of that statement Bella was sure. She had only met the couple briefly, but it was easy to see that they had taken their relationship to the ultimate step. But Bella would bet that it wasn't just sex for them. They had seemed so in love, so in tune with each other. Sex would just be one more aspect to the fullness of their relationship.

"Geesh Jessica. It's just sex. What's the big deal?"

Bella looked at Lauren briefly, with disbelief and sadness. In that one question she had told Bella everything she needed to know. This girl did not value herself. While Bella had no experience at all, she knew that sex was a big deal. It should be an expression of love between two people, not just some sweaty self gratification.

And someone who did not value themselves, could not always value the people around them. They saw the world through a skewed view. Seeing their inadequacies in those around them and judging them even more harshly because of them. She could not or would not change herself, so instead made others feel bad for not stooping to her low standards. This was not someone she wanted to be friends with.

A knowing look passed between Bella and Angela. A conversation to possibly bring up later. Or not. What was there to say? Plus Angela had never struck her as a gossip. She knew things, but didn't share them. Bella appreciated that. Some things didn't need to be said.

Jessica looked flustered. Unsure of how to answer in a way to please Lauren, but not seem like a prude or slut to Mike. Before she could say anything, Bella felt Jasper approaching. She turned to see him walking toward her. She gave him a relieved smile, happy to not have to continue this particular conversation. She really didn't want to have Jessica asking her about this. There were no good answers. And she didn't need the mocking that Lauren would surely give her for knowing her lack of experience on all levels.

She stood, causing everyone to look at her. She picked up her computer and trash and turned to Jasper. "_Time to go?"_

He nodded. "_I thought you would like to get there a little early so you can pick your seat."_

"_Yes. That would be great."_

She went to reach for her bag, but he was quicker than her. His body brush slightly against hers, and she felt the now familiar heat wash through her. When she started to wobble his other arm pulled on her hip, bringing her next to him before starting to guide her away. He gave the table a small nod of acknowledgment and she waved. They watched her in shocked silence. Angela and Ben looked pleased, Mike and Jessica were amazed, Tyler and Eric were sullen, and Lauren showed confusion and a bit of rage. That wasn't good. Bella knew she would have to watch her.

After they left the cafeteria, Jasper's hand moved from her hip to her back again, shifting so they were no longer so close. She bit her lip, feeling a twinge of rejection and her throat tightened slightly. But then she tried to relax and just let herself enjoy the touch of his hand for as long he would keep it there. Soon enough she would know the school well enough that she wouldn't need him to guide her.

But he didn't need to touch her in order to take her to class. Bella internally argued with herself. He could simply walk beside her, or in front of her if he felt she needed to see him fully. No, he was touching her. Maybe he was feeling this pull as much as she was. Maybe he too was feeling this need and longing to know more about the other. She wanted to know everything about him. Wanted to tell him everything about herself.

The idea of telling him all her secrets scared her. She felt a cold sweat upon her palms and neck. She reached up and started to pull on a piece of her hair, an unconscious fidget which showed that she was uncomfortable. This wasn't good. Not good at all. She couldn't tell him. What would he think? He was kind, and smart, and gentle. He would think she was just an idiot. Someone so flawed that it had manifested even before birth.

She tried to stop any tears from pooling in her eyes as the thoughts about her own foolishness surrounded her. She had already decided she didn't want a crush and look at her. Not even one day gone and she was falling for a guy who she had barely even had a full conversation with.

Bella became so lost in thought she was only partially aware of the teacher signing her paper and her choosing a set on the side of the room. Jasper sat next to her, but didn't ask her what was wrong. Instead he only tilted toward her so that if she needed him she could get his attention easily.

She looked up when the massive Emmett plopped into the seat in front of her. She thought she heard the wood crack a little as his weight hit. "Damn shoddy craftsmanship," he muttered to himself before twisting around. "Hey Bella. Long time no see." He wiggled his brows at her.

She couldn't help but smile at him. His playful mood pulled her out of the pits and now she was only in a ditch.

He looked over at Jasper. "Twenty three."

Bella bit her lip and looked down at her table for a moment before glancing over at Jasper. He seemed both exasperated and amused at the same time, but it seemed like the amusement was winning out. "What was your goal again?"

"Thirty. The record is thirty-five." he seemed extremely pleased with himself.

Jasper looked to her, a twinkle in his eye. "What do you think Bella? Is he going to make it to thirty?"

Bella made a show of raising her eyebrows, looking up, and tapping her forefinger on her chin as if she was deep in thought. "_I think it might be possible. Have you tried rubbing her side where you pull up a bit of shirt and expose some skin? Or rubbing your thumbs right here when you are kissing her?"_ She ran her fingers down her ribs near her breast.

Both Emmett and Jasper's mouths fell open in surprise. "Damn Jasper, I like your girl. I was right, we _are_ going to have fun together. Do you really think that would work? Not too subtle?"

Bella swallowed hard, still trying to recover from Emmett calling her Jasper's girl. She gave a little nod. "_You would be surprised how little it takes. Plus there is the saying less is more. There is truth in that." _she paused before adding "_Depending on the circumstance of course. But I think it works in this situation."_

She watched Jasper's lips finish saying her words to Emmett before asking, "_What do you think?"_

He looked her over, eyes lingering on the pink of her cheeks. "I couldn't agree more. You have a wonderful insight into the male mind."

Bella shook her head a bit ruefully. "_Not really. I just pay attention."_

He looked as if he considered saying more when Emmett interrupted, "So, Bella...what do you bet I can make the vein on the teacher's head pop out before the end of class?"

Bella grinned widely at him. "_With you Emmett, I wouldn't bet against it. How about if you can do it within forty-five minutes I do some sort of school favor for you."_

He considered the offer. "What are we talking about? Like writing a paper for me?"

She frowned at him. "_That would be cheating. No."_ She racked her brain. "_I could proof-read a paper, or help you with research. Or make cookies for one of the inevitable bake sales we will all be forced into participating in."_

Emmett gave a slightly evil chuckle. "You're on. If I can do it in fifteen minutes can I get two favors? And we'll let Jasper here keep track of all favors won and lost this semester."

Bella nodded her acceptance of his terms when Jasper asked dryly. "Does this time limit start before or after roll and the class introduction? Being the first day, you are aware that will cut into your time."

Bella looked to Emmett with a raised eyebrow, allowing him to make the choice. He rubbed his hands together gleefully. "Let's make this a challenge. We'll start time as soon as attendance is started."

He held his hand out to her, and she shook it to finalize the bet. He released her and turned to the teacher, suddenly eager for class to begin.

He was almost bouncing in his chair by the time Mr. Willis had finally droned through the attendance after welcoming them to the 'wonderful world of psychology'. Almost instantly, Emmett's hand was in the air asking the most asinine questions.

It wasn't until seventeen minutes into the class that Emmett asked, "Isn't it true that Freud was a sexually repressed pedophile who was addicted to opium?" that the vein made an appearance. And at twenty three minutes when he asked "Last night I dreamed I was a cowboy and Rose wanted to ride my horse. What do you think that meant?" that the vein started to visibly throb.

Bella handed him a note the simply said 'You win' when the teacher turned around and started taking deep breaths to calm himself. Emmett gave a fist pump of victory and collapsed back into his desk chair. Jasper just shook his head and chuckled. The sound made Bella smile even wider. Her mood was suddenly light, all the bad thoughts from earlier forgotten.

She saw Ben across the room, look at her with a curious expression. She surprised herself when she mouthed the word 'Later' to him in explanation. He gave her a small smile and nod before looking back at the teacher. Bella also glanced at him to see he was still facing the board and seemed to be counting. He would reach ten, take a deep breath and then start again.

The rest of the class wasn't nearly as entertaining. Every once in a while Emmett just couldn't help himself and would pop out a question that would cause the teacher to have to take a deep breath and close his eyes before trying to continue. Every time Bella would hide her smile behind her hand. The rest of the class wasn't as subtle, and often burst into giggles and outright laughs.

As they gathered their things at the end of class Bella teased "_If you don't calm down a little that poor man is going to have a stroke or heart attack before the semester is over."_

"Ahhh, come on Bella. Don't be a party pooper." Emmett pouted.

She raised an eyebrow. "_Party pooper? Really Emmett? What are you, five?"_

When he continued to pout she gave in slightly. "_Can't I at least be the destroyer of fun? Or something else like that?"_

He grinned at the name she had come up with. "I like that. Destroyer of fun...It has pizazz."

He stepped over and gave Jasper a strong slap on the shoulder. "Okay. I'm out. I'll see you after school. Later Destroyer."

Bella just shook her head in amusement and gave him a little wave before turning to gather her things. She gave Jasper a sly glance. "_I don't suppose you will let me carry my bag this time?"_

He gave a smirk. "_No, I surely won't. I wouldn't be a gentleman if I let you carry your own bag."_

"_Is that what you call yourself? A gentleman?"_ Bella teased him.

"_Among other things."_ he teased back.

"_Are you going to share?"_ she prodded, suddenly curious to know what other nicknames he had.

"_Maybe another time."_ he evaded.

She grinned. "_That means it's embarrassing. Do I have to ask Alice? I think she might tell me."_

He chuckled. "_She might. But I know how to bribe her to my side."_

Bella gave a little pout. "_I'll get you to tell me some time."_

A knowing look passed over his face. "_I'm sure you will."_

He again guided her through the halls, one hand on the small of her back. She found her body trying to slow down, perhaps an unconscious effort to give an excuse to have his hand press deeper into her back. She almost craved his touch now.

They were forced to walk faster once they got outside. The sky was full of ominous clouds and the wind was starting to whip around them. He hurried her into Building Four. Bella was still trying to push her hair back down when they started to enter the Art room. Another gust of wind blew down the hall as someone opened the main door. Bella gave a puff of annoyance has hair flew into her face. She reached up to push it back again when she suddenly bumped into someone.

Her hands splayed across Jasper's back as she balanced herself. She was confused. Hadn't Jasper been behind her when they started into the room? But then again, she had been taking her time with her hair. He must have slipped around her.

Wait. Something was wrong. She felt a rumble vibrating through her hands and move along her body. Was Jasper...growling? She shifted slightly to see what had caused such a violent reaction from him and looked straight into the black raging eyes of one Edward Cullen.

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A/N: Thanks again for reading. Let me know what you think. I try to respond to all messages and reviews.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Stephanie Meyer.

A/N: Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read, review, and alert my story. Special thanks to my beta HammerHips.

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~Jasper~

Jasper felt the wind rush by them, pushing Bella's hair into her face again and her scent around him. There was a sudden surge of bloodlust from within the room, so he rushed in front of Bella, not caring if she saw his inhuman speed. Her safety was the priority here, not their secret. He felt her bump into him and her hands pushed across his back. A part of him mourned that he couldn't focus on how it felt and savor this first real touch from her. His focus was solely on Edward. His black eyes searched for the source of the scent that had caused him to lose his sanity.

Jasper had never seen Edward like this. Edward had been raised by Carlisle, and had spent the majority of his vampire life denying himself the pleasure of human blood. The scent of one girl should not have driven him to this madness. It didn't matter who he was, Jasper would kill him before he allowed him to lay one finger on his Bella. She was _his_. _His_ woman. _His_ mate. His _everything_.

Below the overwhelming bloodlust, he could feel Edward's confusion and desperation. Part of him was trying to regain control. Maybe he wouldn't have to kill Edward. _This time_. The savage part of his psyche was disappointed. It had been eager for a fight, especially against Edward who in a lucid state could best almost anyone because of his gift. Jasper had been mildly curious to see if he could beat Edward when he was not in complete control, if that would hinder or enhance his gift.

But now was not the time for these thoughts. He could analyze the situation later. He growled lowly at Edward. He felt Bella shift slightly behind him, and from her sudden increased heart rate and stab of fear he knew she had seen Edward. He shifted his body so she was hidden again, no longer able to see or be seen. His one arm reached behind him, pulling her against him. The contact let him know she was safe and allowed him the control to remain above the situation. He battled his instincts to simply attack and tear Edward apart for even thinking to look at his Bella that way. He felt the lessening of Bella's fear at his touch, which eased his monster, leaching the savagery from him and allowing clear thoughts to remain in control.

Edward shifted, trying to see Bella again, to determine that she was indeed the source of the scent. Jasper growled again, this time louder. It cut through the air and caused Edward to focus on him alone. He started to crouch. Jasper fought his body's need to return the gesture. Crouching would only expose Bella. That was unacceptable.

Jasper took a moment to let his eyes sweep the room. It was empty. He could see the door to the stock room was ajar. The sounds of movement and bottles that clanked together warned him that the teacher was inside collecting supplies.

Alice stepped out from behind Edward, revealing herself for the first time. Her phone was to her ear and she was speaking low and hurriedly. When she finished, she stepped in front of Edward and looked into his eyes.

"Edward. I know you can hear me. Snap out of it. This is not what you want to do." She placed her hand on his chest to keep him from moving forward. He snarled fiercely at her but she didn't even flinch.

"This is not who you are. Come back to us now. Come back before too much damage has been done."

He started to look away, back toward Jasper.

"Edward!" She hissed sharply, which caused his black eyes returned to her. "Do you want to see? Will that help you?"

Edward's head gave the barest of jerks. Her eyes lost focus—and so did his—as they shared the vision of what could be if he did not change the course of his decision. They returned to themselves two breaths later, hers in a sad sigh, and his in a rough sob.

Jasper felt the despair welling up in Edward and his determination grew soon after. Whatever it was they had seen was not something he wanted. Jasper flooded Edward with calm hoping that it would help him to regain more of himself. He knew it was working when he felt gratitude coming off of him among all the other emotions. His entire body was tense, held there by willpower alone.

Alice's eyes again lost focus, and only a breath later she smiled as relief came from them both. She turned her head and flashed a warning look to Jasper as her head tilted toward Edward slightly. He gave a slight nod of understanding. He was still to watch him. The coast was not clear yet.

Alice looked over to the stock room and saw that the teacher was still occupied. She flashed over to the room's side door, which lead to the outside. On a good day it was opened to let the sun in and keep the paint fumes from overwhelming the occupants of the room, but today it was opened to allow help in.

Emmett's large body filled the door, and after he took an appraising look around, he flashed over to Edward. "Okay, Edward. It's time to go for a quick hunt. You can come back later, after you have more control?"

He asked this as a question to Alice, even though his eyes never left the other vampire.

"Yes. It should be fine to come back. Jasper and I will make sure Bella is safe." She said this with certainty, but the furrow in her brow belied her worries.

Edward opened his mouth to answer, but quickly shut it again. Panic shot through him along with another wave of bloodlust. The idiot had gone and taken another breath and in doing so had taken in Bella's scent again. His eyes closed as he clenched his fists. His head tilted back in agony and the muscles of his neck popped out with the strain of his tightening jaw.

Jasper lost his patience. "Just get him out of here! One more breath might be the last straw. Force him if you have to, but leave."

Emmett's head bobbed in understanding. He reached out and grabbed Edward's upper arms in his hands. In a show of his strength, he easily picked him up and disappeared out the side door. Thankfully it was on the side of the building that was near the forest line. Jasper watched them until they disappeared into the depths of the trees, for it was only then that he felt the greatest of the danger had passed. Part of him noticed Alice madly texting someone, most likely Esme, informing her of the recent events.

He turned around to face Bella, wary of what he might find. Her hands remained on his body, traveling as he turned moving from his back to his chest. He allowed himself to savor this touch as he had not the other. Her hands, so small and fragile, made him feel weak. Her fingers rubbed in a slight back and forth manner, pulling slightly on his shirt. It made him ache. He looked into her eyes, and knew his own were darkening with his building need for her. His hands reached out for her, gently holding her shoulders. He pulled her closer, needing to feel more of her touch. Thighs met and he quivered. Stomachs brushed against each other. She quivered. He head started to tilt down to her and hers leaned back in response.

"Jasper?" Alice's voice cut through him. He gave an unhappy groan before he looked over at her and scowled to show his disapproval of her timing.

"You have one minute before someone else shows up. Is that how you want to be seen?" She smirked as she took in how close his and Bella's bodies were.

He felt a flare of embarrassment from Bella and she pulled away. She stumbled slightly, but his hands were still on her shoulders and they balanced her. He looked down at her again, curious at the intensity of the emotion. He watched her pull on a lock of her hair, twisting it around her fingers. She bit her lip slightly and looked down the hall.

When she looked back at him she asked, "_Can I come in the room now? Or has there been some kind of hazardous spill that has made it unsafe?"_

He smiled at her. "_No, we can go in now. It seems someone left the door open and there was a puddle from the rain. I didn't want you to slip."_

She looked around him, her eyes scanning the floor. "_I don't see any water."_ He felt her anger as it started to build.

"_Alice cleaned it up. That's what took so long."_ He pointed over to Alice. She was pushing paper towels into the trash barrel. Doubt washed the edges of her emotions, but confusion and anger dominated. She just shrugged and walked around him, being careful not to touch him. He felt a sharp spike of pain at the avoidance. She didn't want to touch him. Something he had done had pushed her away. He glanced to Alice, who had gone to shut the side door. Her hands swept up and then down in a gesture that meant 'take a breath and calm down'.

He inhaled deeply, taking in Bella's scent. It calmed him instantly. He would find out what had happened and fix it, just not now. This was not the place for a long discussion. He needed to take her somewhere. Be alone.

Bella went to the closest table and sat. If she thought to escape from him after class, she had another thing coming. He was going to get to the bottom of this, and fast. He had finally found his mate and he refused to let them be torn apart by anger and miscommunication. He would tell her everything if he had to.

Alice shot him a look of fear, and denial ran through her emotions only to pass easily when he edited himself. He would wait to tell her everything. But he wouldn't lie to her. If she figured it out on her own he would have broken no laws. He would be safe.

She, on the other hand, would not be. If the Volturi discovered her among them, and still human, he could not say what their reactions would be. Kill her most likely. He suppressed a harsh growl at the very idea of someone coming after his Bella. They would die in the wake of his wrath. Only ashes would remain.

Alice gasped, as shock colored her emotions. He began to turn to her but Bella tapped him sharply on the shoulder drawing him to her.

"_I know you are lying to me. I demand that you tell me the truth"_ She was determined. Resolved. Undercurrents of confusion. Still an edge of anger.

His eyebrows rose in surprise at her verbal attack. "_How do you know I'm lying?"_

"_I just do. It doesn't matter."_ She bit her lip. Wariness mixed with concern. A bit of wistfulness.

He tilted his head slightly. "_A lie of omission is still a lie. Are you demanding to know the truth by telling a lie?"_ He asked gently, hoping that it did not tear them more apart.

She flushed at his accusation, feeling the reprimand deeply. Again doubt came from her. But also hope, another wave of determination and need. "_I..." H_er hands hesitated and he sensed shame and despair. "_I can't tell you."_ Wistful want.

"_Bella.." _Jasper pulled his hands into fists, trying not to drag her to him. "_We all have secrets. And sometimes we keep those secrets for good reasons."_

She looked at him and he saw a sheen of tears coating her eyes. She looked away, her eyes lost. "_Sometimes they hold you back from what you want the most."_

He wondered if she even knew she had signed her thoughts. Or if she was talking to herself, so used to people not understanding her. He tapped the desk in front of her, decision made. _"Go somewhere with me after school."_

She looked at him blankly for a moment, awash in confusion tinged with joy._ "Where?"_

"_Port Angeles. We can get away for a while. Just the two of us._"

He felt her reluctance battling with her desire to go. "_I'd have to ask my Dad first. I don't know if he'd want me to go so far away."_

The way she had crumpled at Emmett's pout flashed into his mind. He didn't know the last time he had pouted, but if it got him alone with Bella he would do anything. He let his bottom lip plump out, his brows came down together. "_It's not that far and I'll have you home before it's late."_

He felt her resistance crack and he did the signature Emmett fist pump in his head. Alice's mirth came to him in response to his actions and he knew she was trying not to burst into giggles. He shot her some displeasure. She gave him a little shove and murmured "Tell her about the bookstore."

Jasper didn't question her. "_There is this great little bookstore there I've been meaning to go to again. It has a surprisingly diverse selection considering its size. We can go and see if they have anything new."_

Bella gave off surprised pleasure, and Jasper let Alice feel his gratitude.

She bit her lip. "_I still have to ask my Dad. He's a little protective."_

He gave her a moment as she considered her options. He watched her glance around and then slipped her hand into her bag and pulled out a cell phone. She looked around again and hid the phone in her lap as she sent out a series of texts.

Jasper found himself frowning with her. Worrying with her. Then smiling with her.

"_He said it's okay. I just need to be home by seven."_

"_Why seven?"_ He asked curiously. There had been surprise and a deep happiness within her. Something about this particular curfew had caused this reaction, and anything that could make her happy he wanted to know.

She flushed slightly and was going to answer when the teacher opened the stock room door in a dramatic sweeping motion. Everyone, except for Jasper and Alice, jumped. Bella included.

"_Later?" _ he asked quickly.

She nodded and turned to watch the teacher, leaving him to watch her and ponder the enigma that was Isabella Swan. While she claimed to be deaf there were clues that told him otherwise. The way she had just jumped at the teacher's entrance only being the most recent.

She seemed to know what was being talked about when things were said outside of her viewing range. How she had nodded in agreement to things the teachers or students said. An unknowing gesture that told so much to those who only had to watch. Her emotions told on her as well, like how she had been angry and unsure when Lauren had called her a charity case. This only added to her unwitting first impression when she had signed to Jessica of her 'supposed to be deaf'. Not was. Supposed to be.

Something had silenced this girl and he needed to know what. If something had happened to her to cause her to refuse to speak. He scowled at the direction his thoughts were taking him. He would find out who had hurt her. He would make them pay. He would gladly accept the crimson eyes for the pleasure of her revenge.

And yet..that didn't seem right either. There was a strength in her, that was so much a part of her. It was the core of her. He found it hard to believe that anything could cripple her like this. Make her retreat within herself to where she was unable to vocalize. The flashes of sass and spirit she had shown demonstrated the fire within her. Surely a girl with so much fire would not back down in such a way.

That only left that she was not _able_ to speak. Was that even possible? He choked back a snort. Here he was, a vampire, asking if it was possible to be unable to speak. The world was full of impossible things.

He had never been interested in the medical field so this question was completely out of his normal area of understanding. He needed to talk to Carlisle. There must be something that could be done to fix this. To give this girl her voice. What justice was there in the world that had chosen to rob her of this gift. This ability that was so taken for granted by most. Hell, he himself had never thought of what it would be like to be unable to speak. Choosing to not speak was not the same as being incapable. There was freedom in the choice. Forced restraint in the inability.

He watched her put a hand to her mouth, restraining laughter that could never be. The teacher was sweeping around the front of the room extolling the greatness of art and how life without art is nothing. Art is beauty. Art is ugly. Art is all.

Bella was amused, but Alice was entranced. She was eating it up, smiling widely and bouncing slightly in her seat in excitement. Ten minutes into class the teacher finally seemed to realize that she hadn't taken roll. She passed it off with a wild gesture of her hand, but then declared this as a wonderful opportunity for everyone to say something about art. There were quiet groans around the room and brows furrowed as the student tried to think of something to say.

Alice, with great pleasure, declared, "Art is by far the greatest means of expression and can help to enhance the mind's perception of the world around them."

Jasper was not as optimistic and only said. "Art is high priced pictures on the walls of houses. It serves no practical purpose."

Alice and the teacher looked at him in horror, like he had just crushed their dreams and ambitions. He shrugged his shoulders in apology. Bella simply looked at him curiously, but was not upset by his words.

His words had given other students courage and some, when it was their turn, also agreed that they did not understand most art and that it served no greater purpose than a mindless past time. Others were on Alice's side and firmly stated that without art their would be no civilization. Jasper thought that was taking it a bit far, but they were welcome to their opinions.

When Bella's name was called she raised her hand. The teacher, Ms. Randal, looked her over in mild surprise. It was only then that she had realized that she had a new student. She walked over to the desk and signed the paper as she asked Bella what she had asked every other student. "And what is art to you, Isabella?"

Bella looked to Jasper questioningly and he nodded. Jasper said her words as she signed. _"Art is only perception. Anything can be art, or nothing. It all depends on what each person gets out of it. If there is no meaning it is not art. Only technique or lack thereof. So what some see as art, others will not because it will have different meanings for each person."_

Ms. Randal nodded. "Very good Isabella." Then she moved on to the next person.

Just as she finished the roll Alice touched his arm, allowing wariness and worry to pass to him. He looked at her from the corner of his eye. "Edward will be back in 30 seconds. He is still trying to maintain the current decision, but watch him. I can't predict when his self control will crack. Only at the time of the decision will I know."

He nodded, understanding at her lowly spoken words as his body tensed. He casually stood and took the seat on the other side of Bella, so he would be between her and the door Edward would soon be coming through. Alice took his previous spot. Bella was now guarded on both sides. She was giving off curiosity at the sudden change of seats, but did not look at him. The teacher was speaking again and he knew she had to watch the teacher, if only to keep up the farce of deafness.

Edward slowly made his entrance into the room. It was slow even by human standards. His posture reeked of doubt and self-consciousness, a far cry from his normal demeanor. He gave off waves of fear, panic, and determination. Jasper saw him take a hesitant sniff before he was seen by the others. His eyes darkened and bloodlust surged in him, but his control was firm. He clenched his jaw as he looked into Jasper's eyes. He nodded to Japser, then Jasper pushed calm and a bit of lethargy toward him. He watched Edward's face slacken just slightly before he took a step into the room.

As he slowly walked across the room Jasper watched every aspect of him, ready to fight at any moment. Bella began to feel nervous and anxious at his tenseness. He reached over and laid a hand gently on her leg under the table, and she relaxed instantly.

A new kind of nervousness bubbled within her along with a deep need he was coming to recognize. He started to debate if he should remove his hand, but found his arm unwilling to pay heed to his brain. His own need to touch her was starting to overcome his logic. He gave in and left his hand upon her.

Jasper watched as Edward sat at a table on the other side of the room, surprising and intimidating the boy who was already sitting there. The teacher had noted his arrival, but did not comment. She marked him down as being present and continued on.

Jasper divided his attention between monitoring Edward's moods and movements, Alice's body language, and the simple pleasure of feeling Bella's body beneath his hand. Only a small portion of his mind was aware of the teacher's words as they moved around the room. Colors. Graphite. Oils. Pastel. Inner muse. Become one with your medium.

Occasionally, he allowed his thumb to move gently over her jeans and each time she would slightly tense and be flooded with joy, happiness, and nervousness. Her warmth seeped into him through the material and he occasionally allowed himself to immerse himself in it, like he was bringing the warmth into himself, into his soul. He felt himself starting to melt. The cold exterior that he used to protect himself was being slowly destroyed by this little human girl. His little human. _His_.

Jasper's hand squeezed her thigh and she smiled, as the happiness moved through her body. It astounded him that something so little could cause such joy in her. It humbled him that it was his touch that did this to her. He was aching to know what her skin would feel like, what that true connection would let him feel from her. The clothing hindered the ability to create that last final connection to her, but it was more than the connection of emotion he wanted. He wanted the simple pleasure of the just touching her. Of _holding_ her. Of _kissing_ her.

The last thirty minutes of the class dragged by. Jasper found himself doing the little fidgets he had never before understood in the humans around him, for what is a few hours of time to an immortal? His fingers tapped the desktop. His leg started to bounce. He continuously glanced at the clock.

Finally, Alice nudged him into awareness of his actions. He gave her a little glower at her amused and sly smile. "Somewhere to be Jasper?" She mocked him teasingly, but loud enough for Bella to hear. She flushed slightly but didn't look in their direction. They both took note of the increased color on her cheeks and exchanged a look. Jasper's eyebrow raised slightly in question to her, but Alice simply gave him an innocent look. If she knew the answer, she wasn't sharing.

The bell rang through the room, echoing against the walls. Edward dashed by them, straining his muscles in an effort to control his desperate to escape. Escape his desire to kill Bella. Alice watched him go with a sadness in her eyes. She and Edward were very close and Jasper knew that she hated to see him struggling like this. He touched her arm briefly in a comforting gesture before turning to Bella. He held out his hand for her bag and she shook her head at him in wonder before giving it to him.

She looked up to him. "_I need to take my paperwork back to the office before we can go."_

He nodded his understanding and stepped to her side. Touching her back was not enough anymore. He placed his hand on her hip and pulled her near. Their bodies brushed against each other as they walked. Jasper shortened his stride to match hers. He tried to ignore the looks the other students were giving them, but found himself glaring at all the other males as if they were potential suitors trying to steal his mate from him. They all looked away sharply, most feeling fear.

Jasper pulled open the door to the office and smiled at Ms. Cope. She was a nice old lady, but he was always curious if she was color blind. That hair was unbelievable. He pushed Bella forward and almost gloated when he felt her reluctance and sadness at having to leave his side. She smiled at Ms. Cope and handed her the paperwork that all the teachers had signed.

"How was your day dear?" she asked kindly.

"_It was good. Thank you."_

Jasper spoke the words for her, but remained slightly behind her. Ms. Cope glanced at him briefly. She felt a moment of surprise that was soon replaced with a maternal happiness. "It seems that you've made friends."

Jasper saw Bella look at him and blush softly. He only grinned at them both before winking at Ms. Cope and saying, in a slightly conspiratorial tone. "Maybe a bit more than friends."

Ms. Cope smiled even wider, but noting Bella's red face didn't say anything more on it. She looked down at the paper. "It looks like everything is in order. If you need anything else feel free and let me know. You can stop by any time."

Bella nodded to her and signed her thanks before waving a little goodbye and returning to Jasper's side. She tucked herself back into his arm, but then almost immediately began to play with a lock of her hair. He felt uncertainty from her. He gave her a smile and squeeze of reassurance the let her know that she had been right to return to his arms. She smiled brightly up at him as her happiness bubbled up and pushed aside all worry.

He gestured with the arm that was not around her to ask if she was ready to go. When she nodded he pulled her with him out of the door and toward the parking lot, which was already mostly empty. Only a few cars remained, his family's being one of them as they loitered around it. When they saw Bella and Jasper they all smiled their way. Even Edward. But now that he was out in the open air and Bella's scent was diluted it was easier for him to maintain control. Jasper was also sure that the closeness of his body to hers was causing their scents to mingle. It made something in him want to growl in pleasure at the thought. He clenched his hand around the bag's handle by his shoulder to resist the desire to rub himself on her even more, to further meld their scents together.

He let her guide them to her truck. He raised an eyebrow at it and looked down at her.

"_What?"_

"_Is this your truck?"_ He asked.

She nodded as she moved behind him to pull the keys out of the front pocket of her bag. She stepped to the truck's side and opened the door. It screeched loudly in protest and Jasper saw her give a little wince in response. He held her arm and gave her a slight push to help her climb into the seat. The truck started with a roar and grumbled as it ran.

He handed her her bag. "_I'm going to go home with my family and get my truck. I think it might make the trip a bit quicker. That way we can spend more time in Port Angeles. Is that okay?"_

She smiled a bit sheepishly. "_I'm sure it will make the trip faster. I don't know if she can get over forty-five.'_

He gave a little chuckle. "_I'll pick you up within the hour."_

Jasper stretched up, leaned forward and whispered near her ear, "Then we can finally be alone."

She flushed hot under him and he took a moment to take a long deep breath of her scent. Wisps of her hair brushed his face and to him it felt softer than the finest silk. A flush of his own raged through him. He moved back and looked deep into her soft brown eyes, knowing his own were darkening with his passionate emotions. "I have waited a long time for you Bella. I know we don't know each other, but I hope we can change that. I want to know everything. What makes you smile. What has made you cry, so I can keep that from ever happening again. What you love. What you hate. What you want. What you need."

He took a deep breath, allowing her scent to calm him. "I know this is a lot so soon. I hope I am not scaring you away. I do not want to ever scare you." He said the last lower, more to himself.

Her eyes filled with tears. Jasper saw her hand tremble slightly as signed. "_I do know you. Here."_ She reached out to him and placed her hand on his chest a long moment. "_The rest...the rest will come in time."_

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A/N: Thanks again for reading. Let me know what you think. I try and respond to all reviews._  
_


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Stephanie Meyers

A/N: Thanks so much for everyone who has taken the time to read, review and alert. You all overwhelm me!

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~Bella~

Bella's hand trembled slightly as she reached for the gear shift. She held onto it tightly and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. She looked up to watch Jasper walk across the parking lot back to his family. She gave a little smile as she took in his lean form moving gracefully. His thumbs were hooked onto his front pockets pulling the jeans down a little on his hips. Her tongue ran unconsciously over her lips. As if he knew he was being watched he turned back to her and gave her a wide grin before putting a hand up to his forehead, tipping an invisible hat her way. Bella blushed slightly and gave a little wave before putting the truck into reverse and backing out of her parking spot.

Part of her mind went to autopilot, driving the ancient truck home as the rest of her mind took to analyzing the day's events. Something was happening between her and Jasper. Something deep and intense. Something the defied description. Bella felt as if she had known Jasper for always, even though she had only known him less than a day. When they were together she felt...complete. That was so cheesy, but she couldn't think of any other way to explain it to herself. How was it possible to meet someone and just know who they were? Not the facade they gave off, but the true depths of themselves?

She knew, somehow, that Jasper was cutting himself off from everyone. That there was something in him that he hated, but didn't need to. Something had hurt him so badly, torn him so deeply, that it had altered his very perception of the world around him. And his perception of himself.

Bella brow furrowed as she parked the truck in front of her house. She had started to feel all of this during the art class when he had been touching her. It was as if his touch had connected them. Allowed her to access the very essence of him.

At first she had thought she was just feeling her own emotions, only more intensely. All day she had become accustomed to the need, want and longing that had flowed through her. But underlying that she had begun to feel disgust. Self-loathing. And while Bella was not always happy with her life she had long ago come to accept it and herself. These were not her own feelings.

Bella could not come to terms with the idea that these were Jasper's feelings, for how could someone so perfect feel so lowly of themselves? She had to know. Bella had let her mind focus on the emotions coursing through her and knew that they were coming through whatever connection she had made with Jasper. She wantonly took advantage of the connection to gain as much information as she could from him. The more she had learned the more she had fallen. There was no going back. Bella's heart had found in him something that it was missing. And now that her heart had found the rest of itself, it wasn't letting go.

Every movement of his thumb and hand against her had caused her to tense at the sparks they had instigated within her. It was as if her very soul had latched onto these sparks and threaded them into bonds between them. Every movement had led to more bonds. As each bond formed between them she had had an easier time feeling his innermost essence. It was as if she had been reaching for him. Blending with him. They were no longer just two individuals. They were a part of each other. There would be no life without Jasper now.

The very idea of him leaving her caused Bella to tear up, her throat tight. She realized her hand had clenched when she heard paper crumple. She looked down, surprised to see that she was in her room and had taken Jasper's notes out of her bag to place on her desk to look at later. Bella carefully placed them on the desk then smoothed the wrinkles out of the papers. Her hands brushed gently over Jasper's handwriting. Bella's lips smiled wistfully, wanting to touch him.

Bella sat on her bed with a little frown. She needed to think straight for a moment. Leaning back against the headboard she looked up at the ceiling while she tried to organize her thoughts. As close as Bella felt to Jasper right now, she knew that there was a lot he was hiding from her. Maybe even more than she was hiding from him. She was unsure now about her earlier decision to tell him everything. It had been an unthinking want. Maybe if she revealed herself he would be willing to reveal what had caused him to lie to her.

She knew that he had lied. What she had overheard was not Alice cleaning up a puddle. Yes, Alice had been in the room. But she had seen Edward raging face. Had heard Emmett's concerned voice. But neither Edward or Emmett had been in the room once she had been allowed to look.

What they had said had not made any sense. Control? Hunting? And why would breathing cause Edward to lose control? Why would Alice and Jasper be keeping her safe? What had Alice been showing Edward?

Bella's mind whirled with the confusing ideas and possibilities. She tried to add in the body language and gestures, to see if that helped. But it only led to more questions. Bella _knew_ Jasper had been growling. She had felt it going through his body. Had heard it coming from deep within him. People didn't growl. Or at least she had never heard of people growling before. Jasper's body had been so tense while he had held her behind him. Keeping her out of sight. That gesture, mixed with everything else, made Bella conclude that something about her had caused Edward to lose control. Why else would Jasper have been concerned with her safety and been sheltering her from Edward's angry stare? Bella shuttered as she remembered the look in Edward's eyes. It had been like he wanted to kill her. He didn't even know her. What could she have possibly done to warrant such behavior? She began to feel sad and angry at the same time, the two emotions warring with each other. Neither gained dominance, instead mixing within each other causing her to feel slightly nauseous.

Bella glanced at the clock and jumped when she realized that Jasper would be there soon. She ran into the bathroom, stumbling slightly on the rug in front of the shower. Bella caught herself on the sink, preventing any damage from occurring. Looking into the mirror she wrinkled her nose. Her hair was a mess from the wind. She hastily pulled her brush through her long locks, attempting to calm the waves. Bella gave a sad sigh when she realized that they weren't going to agree with her and instead pulled it all back into a ponytail. Bella cocked her head slightly as she took in her appearance, decided that this was as good as it got while she tugged her shirt down a bit.

Bella only briefly wished that she was the kind of girl that liked to wear makeup, as surely that would help enhance her pale complexion. She quickly dismissed the notion. If Jasper really liked her then he would like her as she was. A low maintenance, no makeup, clumsy girl. And oh yeah, let's not forget mute. Bella bit on her lip nervously, again considering the idea of telling him the truth of her disability.

Her hands pulled forward a lock of hair from her ponytail as she walked down the stairs. He had already hinted to her that he had figured it out. Bella's brow furrowed again. Was that even possible? No one, in all the years of her charade, had figured it out. They took the story and simply believed it. They saw her signing and just assumed the truth of the lie. So how was it that one man in the span of under eight hours had figured it out? She had to know. Bella started to worry that she had gotten sloppy. Soon the whole town would know. They would start to look at her different. Look at her father different. Bella felt tears welling up in her eyes. She could handle whatever they said about her, but her father...he didn't deserve any of that. Charlie was a good man. He had done everything possible to help her. To make her feel normal. She would do anything to stop him from being hurt.

Her thoughts of Charlie traveled to his seven pm curfew. She smiled happily. It had been going on for as long as she could remember. A happy time to balance the sad.

_B__ella waited for someone to pick her up. It was already four thirty, and the six year old sat on the steps outside the school. She watched the street with baited breath and expectation, her hopes rising as each car would appear only to be crushed with disap__pointment as each was not the car she was waiting for. _

_Finally, the gold sedan sped down the street, her mother's face frowning in the driver's seat. Bella smiled, overjoyed. Her panic eased away, the fears now forgotten. The car stopped abruptly in front of her and her mother waved impatiently at her to get in the car. Bella rushed to the car, hand reaching out for the door handle. She stumbled and fell, her hands and knees slamming into the pavement. The sharp pain caused tears to fall from her large brown eyes. Her breath panted out of her in short little bursts of air._

_She jumped when the horn honked loudly in the still air. Bella scrambled up to her feet, her shaking hands opening the door. She sat with a flop, placing her pink book bag at her feet. Her little body was pushed back into the seat as Renee pushed down on the gas and the car shot forward. Bella pulled the seat belt over her body, snapping it into place. She looked down at her hands, pulling little bits of gravel from the palms. Her teeth bit gently on her lip as she did so._

_She looked over at her mother when they stopped at a red light. Renee looked to her, disgust on her face as she took in the torn tights and bleeding knees. She shook her head and started muttering to herself. "Another pair of tights. Wasted. I swear. So clumsy. That girl is going to be so covered in scars. I don't know what to do."_

_Bella looked away, trying to tune her out. Her hand unconsciously moved to her knees, covering her shame as her eyes took in the blurring colors outside the car window. All too soon they were pulling up in front of the house. Her mother parked crooked as always, seeming unable to care enough to park straight. That always meant that Charlie had to park on the street. He would just smile ruefully and tease Bella about 'women drivers' whenever she brought it up to him, not wanting to push Renee on something he considered so small a thing._

_Renee rushed into the house, leaving the door open for Bella to close once she entered behind her. Bella took careful steps, her knees emitting little spikes of pain as she moved them. She winced slightly as the skin stretched tighter around the tears as she climbed the steps to the porch. Closing the door behind her Bella looked around, not seeing her mother in the living room. She heard rattling in the kitchen and walked into the room to find that her mother had moved the table over against the cabinets, opening up the area by the window for her easel. Renee was frowning in concentration at the painting of the tree in front of her, looking between it and the scene outside the window._

_Bella took soft steps, quietly moving to stand beside her mother. Her head tilted slightly as she too looked between the painting and the real thing. It was okay as far as Bella could tell. Well, it at least looked like a tree. But that was the point. Wasn't it?_

_Bella stood waiting to see what her mother would do next, but instead heard her mother sigh. Looking __up Bella saw her mother staring down at her, an annoyed expression__ on her face. Renee tried to mask it with a smile. "Isabella. Dear. Could you go away while Mommy finishes her painting? I need to get as much done as possible while I still have the light."_

_Renee turned back to the painting, not waiting for a response._

_Bella's shoulders slumped slightly as she retreated from her mother's side. She returned to the living room and sat on the couch. Bella pulled out the day's assignments from her bag and began working on them, not knowing what else to do. After the simple assignments had been completed, she returned them to her bag and looked around again. She smiled brightly when she remembered the new book her father had brought home for her the other day. She jumped up and ran toward the stairs, faltering slightly when her knees ached. Bella almost bounced in happiness as she came back downstairs and curled up into her corner of the couch. She was soon immersed within the story._

_So engrossed in the book, Bella became unaware of the passing time and was surprised when her father came through the door. She beamed at him and clumsily got off the couch to race to his side, embracing his legs happily._

_He crouched down until his face was on the same level as hers. He gave her a gentle smile and signed '_How was your day?'

_Bella bit her lip and tugged on a piece of her hair as she looked down and shrugged. Charlie gave a little frown. Bella knew it was from her unusual response. Normally she was so happy when he would sign with her. It was like it was a special language between just the two of them. No one else signed, not even Renee. Sure, her mother could understand her, she just always vocalized to Bella._

_Charlie took Bella's hand from the strands of hair she was pulling on. His rough work-worn fingers pulled her palm flat __as he looked at the sc__rapes on the palms. In a glance,__ he took in the rest of her appearance, eyes lingering on her knees. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze and then released it. _'Go upstairs and get the first aid kit. We'll get you cleaned up and talk about your day over dinner.'

_Bella nodded and ran upstairs, her feet thumping loudly on the steps. When she returned, kit in hand, she found both her parents in the kitchen. Her father look frustrated. Her mother looked only mildly annoyed to have been interrupted. Bella paused at the entrance, unsure if she should approach._

"_Damn it Renee, she's covered in blood!" Charlie whispered harshly to her._

_Renee didn't even look at him as she added a green highlight to a leaf. "She fell down Charlie. What do you expect me to do?"_

"_What do I..."_

_Bella bit her lip, starting to get anxious as her father's face turned bright red._

"_I expect you to take care of her! I know you were late picking her up Renee. Mrs. Stanley called Rose at the office and was going on and on at how sad it was to see poor deaf Isabella waiting for someone to come and get her."_

_Renee shrugged, unfaz__ed. "I lost track of time. I'm trying to get this just right. Something just isn't __working. It isn't speaking to me." She tapped her cheek as__ she examined the painting, trying to find the flaws._

_Charlie took a hold of her and roughly turned her toward him. "Bella is more important than some stupid painting Renee. It can always wait. She needs you. Why is she always second to your art?"_

_Renee looked at him as if he was an idiot. "Art is everything, Charlie. It is the very soul of existence. Without it life is pale and bland." She frowned at him. "Bella is fine by herself. She prefers it. She is always over on that couch. Reading." Renee said the last with a sneer, as if reading was innately below contempt._

_Bella watched her father close his eyes and take a deep calming breath. When he opened them again he looked toward her. His eyes became sad as he took in her awkward, unsure posture. Charlie__ walked to her, his eyes never leaving hers. He crouched down before her again giving her a small smile. _'Let's go into the other room and get you cleaned up.'

_Bella nodded and turned to go to the living room, her hands holding the kit now with white knuckled tightness. She sat on the edge of the couch and placed the kit beside her. Charlie nudged the coffee table away and got down on his knees in front of her. No words passed as he carefully cleaned up her hands. He looked down at the ruined tights next. Bella pressed her lips together for a moment, worried that he too would comment on the loss of another pair._

_Instead he just smiled ruefully and shook his head. "If you don't want to wear the tights, just say so, Bella. No need to go and hurt yourself."_

_He waggled his eyebrows at her, trying to get her to smile. It worked. Her lips curled up hesitantly. Charlie continued on, leaning forward to whisper conspiratorially. "Did you know every time your mother brings me home one of those printed shirts, I suddenly have a friend that needs help on their car?" He brought his face into an over exaggerated sad expression. "And every time I always get grease on them. Completely ruins them."_

_Charlie wiped away an imaginary tear from the corner of his eye. He gave B__ella a genuine smile and then tore the tights even more to gain access to the scrapes along her knees. After he finished putting band-aids on the cuts he said. _'Go and change into something more comfortable and we'll go out to dinner.'

_Bella came back a few minutes later, a pair of jeans now taking the place of the tights and skirt she had had on before. Charlie held her coat out to her and she slipped it on._

_Bella looked up and asked. _'Where is Mom?'

'Your mother is going to stay here. She wants to finish her picture.'_ Charlie replied._

_Bella gave a small frown, then shrugged. She held out her hand to her father and smiled up at him when his big hand engulfed hers, making her feel safe._

Bella returned to herself with a start, realizing she had sat down in her spot on the couch as she relived the moment. Charlie had taken her to the local diner and they had sat and talked about everything that had happened to her that day. Well, up until she had been forced to wait for her mother to pick her up. Bella couldn't remember the details now, only that it had been wonderful. He had made her feel like everything she was saying was the most important thing in the world. Not once had he seemed bored or uninterested in the most minute detail she had produced. It was as if his love for her had wrapped around her and encased her.

Or perhaps it was how she had started to look at the memory over the years, Bella mused to herself. She looked fondly on the start of this ongoing tradition. Even after Renee had taken her away from Forks, Charlie would take a few vacation days to come visit whatever city they were living in at the time to coincide with her first day of school. He would take her out to dinner and they would spend the entire time talking about her day and what she thought. Teachers, students, even fashion. Whatever Bella had noticed. Whatever impressions she had gotten. Like which teachers seemed tough, which students seemed mean and so on.

Bella had come to cherish those nights. They were a stable constant in the crazy life that Renee had begun. There was always some new hobby, new fad, new job, new city.

The doorbell rang through the room, and a light above the front door began to blink. Charlie had gotten it all those years ago to help maintain the facade of her deafness and had never removed it. He said it was something any sports fan should have since he and his friends would sometimes yell at the TV so loudly he didn't hear the high pitched chime.

Bella's stomach clenched tight in anticipation and nervousness. She reached out, opened the door to look out on the tall man waiting on the other side.

_Jacob?_

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A/N: I hope you guys are disappointed where this chapter has gone. I promise they will make it to Port Angeles soon. :) Let me know what you think. _  
_


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: all rights belong to Stephanie Meyer

A/N: Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read, alert, and review this story. It means the world to me

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~Bella~

Bella looked up at the tall tan boy in front of her. For all that he was now hugely muscled, his wide grin and innocent eyes still marked him a boy.

_'Jacob?'_ Bella asked with her hands.

"Hey Bella." his deep voice answered her query.

Bella opened the door wider and stepped back, inviting him inside with a sweep of her hand. As Jacob was passing by he stopped abruptly, nostrils flaring. His eyes narrowed as he first looked her over then looked around the room. His neck angled as if he was trying to look upstairs. Bella bit back a little huff. What was it with guys today? First Edward. And now Jacob was looking her over like she had done something wrong. She tapped him on the shoulder, bringing his attention back to her. She watched him swallow and clench his jaw. Bella gestured him forward again.

She closed the door and walked back to the couch, grabbing the notepad off of the coffee table.

_What are you doing here?_ Bella wrote down and passed him the pad, suddenly annoyed for the interruption. She didn't normally mind Jacob but she did not want to deal with any more attitude today. There was already enough going on that she had to get a handle of. She didn't need another mystery. A new set of questions to add to the pile in her mind. Bella looked out the window while he looked over her written message, curious as to how much longer Jasper would be. Maybe he would save her from Jacob and his mood. She smile lightly at the idea.

He gave a little chuckle. "I came by to check on my truck. Well...your truck now."

Bella cocked her head in question, relaxing a bit as she took in his more relaxed form sprawled casually on the other side of the couch.

"Your Dad bought it from my Dad." His hand moved back and forth as he mentioned each party.

"I've been doing all the maintenance on it. Fixing it up and keeping it running and such. Charlie wanted me to keep that up. He didn't want it to die on you, or have something break if you weren't paying attention." He winked at her. "

She's reliable, but can be a bit high maintenance from time to time." he explained easily.

_If you love the truck so much, then why did your Dad sell it?_

Jacob gaffed his amusement. "I love messing around with any machine, Bells. There isn't anything special about that truck." He grinned at the fresh annoyed look on her face. "To me at least. I've fixed it up as much as I can. For now." Jacob wiggled his eyebrows at her. "Until you go and break something on it. Then it will be worth my attention again."

Bella slapped his arm playfully, smiling back at him. She took the the paper back with a extra jerk, but winked at him to let him know she was teasing.

_I'll have you know I'm an excellent driver!_

"Oh, I'm sure you are." He took a breath, allowing for a long pause. "For a girl."

Bella pressed her lips together to try and stop the amused smile from turning the corners up. But Jacob knew and poked her side teasingly. Bella backed away sharply, not wanting this to turn into a tickling fight like so many previous ones. She didn't know if she could win now that he was so huge.

_What happened to you Jacob?_

Jacob's brows furrowed in confusion, and she kept writing in response to the unsaid question.

_You're HUGE!_ Bella looked him up and down in a very obvious manner. _You aren't taking steroids, are you? That just isn't natural._

Jacob snorted and muttered to himself. "Supernatural maybe."

Bella watched his eyes go distant for a moment, looking sad and wise. He shook it off and met her eyes. "I'm a growing man Bella. I'm allowed to get some meat on my bones."

Bella's eyebrow rose as she took in his false enthusiasm. _Man? When did you become a man Jacob? You are younger than me. That makes you a boy._

Some of the light came back into his eyes at her teasing. "Awww. Come on Bells. Just because you don't want to acknowledged that you are all old and such doesn't mean you have to hate on my obvious man-ness." He made a show of flexing his bicep.

Bella shook her head at his antics. _I am NOT old. And I'll call you a man the day you have a serious conversation with me. So, never._

"Hey! No fair. I can be serious." Jacob protested.

Both of Bella's eyes rose this time in disbelief.

"I can!" Jacob said. "Just the other day...last week I...I know I was talking to Dad about..."

Jacob paused, trying desperately to come up with an example of his capacity to be serious. "Fine. So what if nothing specific comes to mind. That just means I don't remember, not that I can't do it."

He looked to her, somewhat pleading. Bella almost felt bad for teasing him. Jacob had had a hard life, between his mother's dying and father being bound to a wheelchair. His life was more difficult that he ever showed, and he tended to hide it with his humor and carefree attitude.

_Okay. Jake the man. Why don't you go show me your man skills and check out my truck?_

Jake grinned his victory, but didn't goat. "You've got a deal."

He stood with incredible speed and grace. Something she would have been astonished at yesterday, but after spending the day around Jasper it seems almost normal.

Jacob held his hand out to her to help her stand, but she shook her head. He knew she didn't like touching people unless necessary. Jacob didn't take offense and only shrugged and walked to the door making a show of tapping his toe in impatience when she took her time reaching him. Bella stuck her tongue at him as she stood and tucked the notepad under her arm. He laughed loudly as he opened the door.

Bella grabbed her keys and wallet off the small table by the door and walked by Jacob. When he stepped up beside her she turned back to the door and locked it.

"Going somewhere?" he asked, curious. At her nod he looked over at the truck. "I can come back another day to look at the old girl. I don't know how long it is going to take me. Depends on how much damage you've done to her already." He nudged her gently with his at his mocking as they started down the stairs.

Bella hadn't been prepared for his nudge, and suddenly pitched forward as her balance left her. He caught her roughly and pulled her back toward him. She slammed against his body, her breath whooshing out of her. Bella grabbed his shirt briefly as she regained herself, then pushed him away. But he didn't move, instead she only succeeded in throwing her own body away from his. She stumbled back, in danger of falling again but caught herself. Jacob's hand reached out again to help but her angry glare and hand coming up to ward him off stopped his movement toward her.

He looked at her regretfully. "I'm sorry Bella. I was just trying to help."

She gave him a curt nod, and her anger eased some. But she was still irritated. Bella was confused. His body near hers had felt...wrong. His overheated frame had made her feel chilled and out of sorts. She suddenly longed for Jasper and his calming presence.

As if hearing her need a truck's engine growled in the distance. Bella knew that it was Jasper and her heart sped up in her chest. Her earlier nervousness forgotten in her excitement to see him. It had felt like so much longer than just an hour since he had been near her. Since he had almost touched her. Almost. Oh god, how she wanted him to touch her.

Bella unconsciously took a few steps forward, away from Jacob. Jasper's lean powerful form stepped down from the black truck. His tense posture screamed danger. But Bella felt no fear. Only concern and confusion.

His eyes scanned her in a calculating assessing manner. When he found her unharmed the tension eased from him slightly. His body stiffened again moments later when he turned his eyes on Jacob. Jasper's lips curled slightly in threat.

Bella looked to Jacob, finding him in a similar posture. Tense and dangerous.

What was going on? Did Jasper and Jacob know each other? How? Jake didn't come into Forks very often. That was one of the reasons why she had been surprised to see him on her porch. He tended to stay on the reservation, and if he needed something they couldn't provide you were more likely to find it in Port Angeles than in little Forks.

_'Jasper?'_ She tilted her head in confusion.

_'It's okay Bella. I just have to have a little talk with the mutt. We'll get going in a minute. Why don't you go get your stuff together?'_ He answered her easily, body shifting to keep Jacob in his sights.

Mutt? He was obviously talking about Jacob, but why call him a mutt? One more thing to add to their discussion later. But she trusted that Jasper would answer her questions. At least he would partially. She couldn't blame him for wanting to hold some things back, but she needed to get some answers. A partial answer would suffice for now.

Bells looked between the two men again. '_I've already locked the house. Let me just make sure I got everything out of the truck.'_

Bella started walking to her truck. As soon as her back was turned to Jacob he started arguing with Jasper, his voice low and angry. "What are you doing here leech?"

Jasper's smooth voice was calm as he replied. "I'm here to pick up Bella."

"Why?"

"I don't see how it is any concern of yours. It is between Bella and I."

"I've known Bella all my life. I will not let her become a snack for you and your bloodsucking family!" Jacob roared.

Bella's mind went blank, her body continuing to move on autopilot. The revelation hung in the air, heavy and stark. Bella felt a shift in the air, as if it had suddenly become electrified. Jasper's voice was a dark whisper that cracked through the tension. "Bella would NEVER be harmed by my family. She.."

Jacob's snort interrupted him. "Sure, sure. No snacking according to the treaty." Bella could hear the sneer in his voice. "I don't want to risk it. You stay away from Bella. She's too good for you."

"Of that I have no doubt." Jasper answered with amusement evident in his voice. "But this is Bella's choice. Not yours."

Bella's eyes looked blankly into her truck as her mind went into overload. Everything began to click and come together. Supernatural. Bloodsucking family. Leech. Edward's raging eyes. Hunting. Control. Protecting her. Her breath started to pant out of her.

Vampire.

Jasper and his family were vampires.

And she didn't care.

She took a calming breath as this knowledge washed over her. It came from deep within her. A knowing that Jasper wouldn't hurt her. Was _incapable_ of hurting her. And Jasper would protect her. He had already shown that this afternoon with the Edward episode.

She didn't care. It changed nothing. Her heart had chosen. The decision made. For bad or worse Jasper was stuck with her. Her lips curled up in a ghost of a smile, before she forced it away preparing to turn back to the arguing men.

She slammed the truck door loudly, announcing her intentions to turn. Slowly her body moved, her eyes stayed on the ground until she was fully around and facing them again. Her eyes first moved to Jacob, taking in his angry face which was mixed with fear and concern. But he was soon forgotten in her need for Jasper.

Her eyes reached for his, and locked. Jasper's very essence seemed to plead with her, desperate for her understanding and acceptance. Hope, need and fear were all waring for domination in the depths of his amber eyes.

Bella took a step toward him. Then another. Her gait was a little wobbly as her body was still trying to overcome the shock.

"Bella. Don't.." Jacob tried, but was cut off as her hand rose sharply to silence him.

Bella didn't look to him, unable to tear her eyes from Jasper. His own gaze remained firmly in hers. Waiting.

Bella slowly approached him, watching his every move. When she didn't try to communicate with him as she went to him the hope started to fade from his eyes. His shoulders began to slump slightly in defeat. Her heart ached at the change in him. She was determined to change it. To show him how she felt. To show him how much he meant to her. When she took the last step forward to bring herself directly in front of him Bella watched his eyes close. He took a long, deep breath and held it a moment before letting it go in a sad sigh.

Bella waited for him to return to her. Finally he opened his eyes again, acceptance at what he thought was her decision on his face. Her head tilted slightly as she looked at him. Then she reached up, her hand shaking slightly as she moved to cup his cheek in her palm.

Their world exploded in a burst of colors. Bella felt as if they had merged. Each soul blending and melding with the other. Jasper was around her. In her. A part of her. The connection she had felt earlier solidified and strengthened. She watched it wrap around them and bind them together. A silver band of energy that swirled between them.

Bella smiled up at him, tears of joy starting to fill her eyes and stream down her cheeks. His love and admiration pushing away the deep loneliness and pain she had covered and forgotten for so long. Jasper's hand reached out reverently to cup her own cheek, his thumb brushing away some of the tears. At his touch she trembled in ecstasy. Bella pushed her body closer to his, wrapping her other hand around his waist. Jasper curved his body into hers and pressed his forehead into her neck, his nose resting at her collar. She could feel his cool breath against her skin and she shivered with delicious chills. When he went to retreat Bella's hand moved from his cheek to the back of his neck, threading her fingers through his hair. She tightened her hold, keeping him close while marveling at the soft smooth texture.

Finally, Bella released him. Her head moved and her lips brushed his cheek as he pulled his body straight. Bella looked into his eyes, fascinated with the lightening and darkening along with his moods. His joy shown through them in a beautiful clear citrine. Jasper didn't speak. Only allowed his fingers to brush her cheek lightly before pushing some hair behind her ear.

Bella watched as Jasper looked sharply behind her. She blushed brightly, suddenly remembering that Jacob was there. She had completely forgotten him, so intense was her moment with Jasper. Jasper chuckled lowly and tucked her into him, arm wrapped around her. Bella pressed her cheek to his chest and peeked over at Jacob, unsure what to expect. She sucked in a breath of air at the sight.

Jacob was on his knees, head bent, arms hanging loosely at his sides. He looked up at them and she could see tears on his cheeks. Bella's eyes went wide, taking in the sight. She looked up to Jasper, concerned. Not knowing what to do.

Jasper squeezed her closer and asked. "Are you alright..." He paused.

"Jacob. Jacob Black." Jacob supplied as he returned to his feet.

Bella felt Jasper tense slightly then relax into a chuckle. "The young Alpha. I should have known with all the demands."

Jacob's face hardened. "I'm not the Alpha. We can't talk about this right now." He looked pointedly at Bella.

At that Jasper laughed loudly. "A little late for all that now Jacob. But if you insist. You are okay?"

"Sure sure." Jacob waved away the question. "I don't know what happened." He looked away, his eyes going distant. "She touched you. Then it was bright. Blinding. And then it was..." He struggled for the words. "So much happiness...joy."

Jacob looked back to them, tears trying to form in his eyes again. "Love. So much love. I've never felt anything like that before. Not even from Sam." He said the last low. To himself.

Bella didn't understand. How could he have felt all of that? And who was Sam?

Jasper scratched the back of his head and Bella thought she could feel embarrassment from him. "That would be my fault I think. I must have lost control for a moment."

Bella saw Jacob's confusion, and looked up to Jasper her own confusion on her face. Jasper looked down at her, his face sincere. "I'm an empath. I can feel and project emotions."

He glanced briefly to Jacob before returning his eyes to her. "I must have been projecting our feelings during the bonding. I'm sorry. I don't loose control very often."

He pushed her hair back again, seeming incapable of not touching her now that they had made the final bond. Jasper seemed to radiate regret.

Bella pushed back a little, wanting the use of her hands. _'Jasper. That was a _very_ intense moment. I don't think anyone would blame you for a brief loss of control. Plus no one got hurt. Don't regret this.'_

He signed back to her. _'How did I get so lucky to get you?'_

Bella smiled brightly back to him. _'Wait a little while. We'll see if you still think it's luck a bit from now.'_

_'It could be nothing else. You are my light.'_

Bella blushed and looked down, then over to Jacob. He was waiting patiently. When Jacob saw he had her attention again he smiled. "Okay then. Well, I'll just take a look at the truck before I head home. I think I should let the others know about this...development."

Jacob looked at Jasper, and when he nodded his agreement he continued. "Maybe we should try and get the bigwigs together. Discuss some of this. I'm sure there will be problems."

Bella watched Jasper sigh. "I'm sure there will."

Jasper turned to Bella. "But until then, I'm going to enjoy my date."

He held out his hand for hers. "Shall we?"

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A/N: Let me know what you guys think! The date will finally happen next chapter. :)


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Stephanie Meyer. No infringement intended. I'm just having fun.

A/N: Due to FF changing the reply system if you have not enabled your PMs I can't reply to your review. macullen077, rerose1975 : I had this problem with your replies. Sorry. :(

Big sorry for taking so long. Craziness has ensued with birthdays, anniversery, vacation, school, and normal life in general.

Huge thanks to HammerHips for becoming my beta. You're the best!

Okay...on to the date. :)

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~Jasper~

Jasper held out his hand to Bella and waited expectantly for the touch of her skin on his again. When her small hand touched his, he let out a little happy sigh and smiled down at her. Jasper interlaced their fingers as he pulled her next to him.

Jasper helped Bella up into his truck and then dashed around to the driver's side, moving at a fast human speed. Jasper knew now that Bella would not leave him, but he did not want to scare her either. Plus, you never knew what nosy neighbor might be watching.

Bella looked up at him as he climbed in, and he noticed that a piece of her hair had escaped her pony tail and trailed down her cheek. Jasper reached over and pulled on the hair tie, gently tugging it from her hair. The mahogany locks tumbled around her shoulders, which caused her scent to waft through the air in a teasing rush. Jasper pushed his hand through the thick mass of hair, loving the feel of it as it ran through his fingers. He leaned his head down and touched their foreheads together. Jasper took the moment to simply breathe her in and let his mind catch up with the intensity and activity of the past few minutes.

_His_. His _mate_.

Through their bond he felt her love and acceptance surrounding him. Jasper smiled ruefully in astonishment. How was it that this little human had accepted him so easily? How could she look past the monster that he was and still want him? The strategist in him needed to know why, so he could keep a look out for problems or issues in the future. The coward in him didn't want to know. It wanted to take her acceptance and run with it; to revel in it.

Jasper leaned back slightly and looked down to see her eyes closed. Her essence was filled with peace and calm. Joy surged in him that he could bring that to her.

Jasper started to lean back to her when he heard Jacob shout. "Hey, get going! I might be cool with this, but I don't need to see you trying to steam up the windows."

Jasper gave a rough chuckle as he pulled away from Bella. Her cheeks were a bright red and her eyes were down as she pulled on on lock of her hair.

Jasper started the car and let it purr a moment. He looked back to Bella again and when he saw her- still in the same self conscious pose- he frowned. Jasper could feel her slight embarrassment. He reached his hand out and tipped her head up. She looked over at him in surprise.

"Never feel embarrassed about what we do."

She bit her lip lightly. "_It's not that. I just don't like the attention."_

Her sincerity came to him and he nodded, "I do not want to ever embarrass you. You're perfect Bella. Nothing you could do is ever worthy of that emotion."

Jasper watched her eyebrow raise in disbelief. He smiled over at her. "I guess I will just have to prove it to you."

Bella shot him a grin, "_I guess you will."_

Jasper put the truck in reverse and nodded to Jacob as he backed out of the driveway. Jacob was watching them leave as he leaned on Bella's truck. His emotions were unbalanced, no one emotion ever taking dominance for long. Love. Worry. Anxiety. Envy. Fear. Humor.

Even though Jacob had accepted their bonding, there were some concerns on his part, naturally. Who wouldn't be concerned if a dead man came up and claimed your childhood friend right in front of you? Jasper felt a sense of determination that somehow they would work this out with the wolves. And if not, well, they would just leave. It was a big world, there are other places to be than Forks, Washington.

His vampiric instincts often pushed him with the need to move to new ground, to keep out of sight and to find fresh hunting grounds. But life with the Cullens was a life of resisting that instinct. They embraced their former humanity, and had a desire to be a positive impact on the world around them. It was a far cry from how he had come into this supernatural world, full of death and dominance. Then, humanity was a background within a set territory and human lives meant nothing; it was only their blood that held importance.

Jasper had happily left that life behind. The swirling rage and lust for power had pushed him further and further to the edge of sanity. If Peter and Charlotte had not come back for him Jasper suspected that he would have allowed one of the newborns, or even one of the enemy covens, kill him.

He would have to thank Peter and Charlotte again. Now he understood everything they had tried to explain before about the joy that existed in the world. The calm that comes with knowing your mate is by your side.

Jasper glanced over at Bella and saw her looking out of the window. "Would you like to listen to the radio?"

Her head snapped to him and fear shot through her. Jasper took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "It's okay Bella. You do not have to hide from me."

Uncertainty. Hope. Anxiety.

"We can talk about it later if you like," he stated as he shot her a grin. "I have plenty to explain myself."

Relief. Love.

Jasper saw her nod out of the corner of his eye and then she reached out to the radio. She pushed the buttons and searched through the stations until Patsy Cline started to waft around them. Bella sat back with a contented thud.

Jasper reached for her hand again and she easily took it in her own as they fell into a comfortable silence. Jasper felt no need to fill the space with words, and not just because she could not respond back while they were driving but because no words were needed. The atmosphere around them was calm, yet charged. They drove the rest of the way to Port Angeles with their hands interlocked and the sounds of classic country music surrounding them.

Jasper pulled the truck into a small parking lot near a strip of stores. He reluctantly released her hand so he could get out. While he guided them down past the stores Bella looked through the windows curiously and Jasper chuckled at her wide eyes taking in all that was around them. Jasper leaned down and whispered into her ear, his lips brushing the top rim. "Would you like to go into any of the stores?"

She looked up at him, a blush on her cheeks and shook her head no.

"You sure? It is no problem."

Again she shook her head no, then continued on by saying. "_I want to spend as much time at the book store as possible."_

Jasper watched her bite her lip and felt an edge of self consciousness. He internally made the decision that he would find a way to stop that feeling from encompassing her. Jasper wanted his Bella to only feel positive emotions. Yes, it was an irrational desire since no one is able to feel only positive things, but this one emotion was holding her back. How could she open up and be herself if she was always doubting her actions? How could he learn who she was if she didn't know the answer to that very question?

Jasper felt a wave of sadness well up in him. She was so young, so innocent, so new. Being tied to him would only taint her and bring her down. No. _Never_. Jasper would crawl his way up to her level if only to make himself worthy of her.

While one part of his brain had been having that debate, another had been focused solely on Bella. Admiring how her hands gracefully moved with her continued response.

"_I tend to lose track of time when I'm surrounded by books."_

When she looked down Jasper's hand delved deep into her hair and tugged slightly while putting pressure with his fingers on the base of her skull. Her deep brown eyes came back to his, questioning. "There is nothing wrong with getting lost in something you love."

He smiled gently at her. "It only shows how much you love them. I will admit to a love of books myself."

Bella's eyes rose in surprise.

"It is true. Especially those with a historical theme." Jasper looked down into her deep brown eyes, getting lost for a moment. She didn't seem to notice, instead easily staring back at him.

Jasper pulled back slightly before tucking her next to him and moving them forward again. He led her past the next set of the stores and opened the last door in the strip. Jasper nudged her forward and then looked down, wanting to see her reaction to this hidden gem.

Jasper watched as her eyes widened to take in the ceiling tall bookshelves, each completely filled with hundreds of books. There were little quirky signs with pictures to show the different sections. He could feel Bella bubble with mirth as she looked from the cat and dog sign indicating the Pet section, to the cowboy hat and Trojan horse declaring the Historical section. Jasper felt a moment of shock from her when she took in the sign with the embracing couple to show the Romance. She then started to shake with laughter that would never be heard.

He smiled widely, pleased that she was enjoying the store so much, so fast. Leaning down to her he let his lips brush across her cheek as he asked,"So you like it?"

Bella's face turned up to him and she smiled brightly before nodding.

"Go ahead and look around. I have to ask about a book." Jasper watched her mouth tilt down for a moment before she turned back to the store and considered where she would start. Jasper watched her nod to herself when she made up her mind and then headed toward the sign with the smiling and frowning masks denoting the Fiction section.

Jasper went through the motions of asking about the new historical fiction Alice had already ordered for him. He had only wanted to let Bella get away from him for a while. He was not sure that she had really had time to understand everything that had happened. There had been very few negative emotions from her during the drive. No doubt, fear, anxiety. No one was that accepting. _Could she be?_

He needed her to fully accept him. How could this relationship work if she could not? Jasper felt his own doubt and fear surge through him. He was in a relationship. _Mated_. Something he had thought impossible.

Jasper turned and watched Bella as she looked through the books. He reached out and pulled her emotions into himself, needing to know what she was feeling. Jasper smiled at the contentment that surrounded her. Her intrigue would spike as she pulled a book from the shelf and read the back before returning each one with either regret or indifference. Jasper wondered about the regret. With that question in mind he returned to her side.

Jasper approached her as she was returning a book with a sense of longing. He allowed his body to brush against hers as he asked. "Why don't you get it if you want it so badly?"

Bella leaned into him for a moment, muscles relaxing at his nearness. She pulled away as she slowly released a breath and turned to him. _"I don't have the money to get it."_

Jasper smiled and gave a little shrug. "I can get it for you."

Displeasure mixed with pride and shame raged through Bella.

"_I don't need you to get it for me."_

Jasper frowned slightly, not sure of her strong reaction. "Bella, it is not a problem. It is just a book."

"_It's not _just_ a book."_ Bella responded, her movements sharp with her agitation.

Jasper took her hand and led her to a couple of plush chairs in a corner. He urged her to sit with a gentle tug before taking the chair next to her. Jasper signed to her, knowing that this was a conversation she would not want overheard. _"What is wrong? Why are you reacting so strongly to this?"_

Bella sighed and looked away. Jasper squeezed her hand and silently gave her encouragement.

"_That's how my mother talked. There was always some guy wanting to take her out. Give her things. Even if she didn't like him she would go out with him anyway. It's just a meal. That's what she would say. Or a new outfit. Or a piece of jewelry. Or the water bill. Always _just something_."_ Bella's eyes filled with tears but Jasper remained where he was seated.

"_She **used** those men. I'm sure she cared for some of them, but what they could give her was as much a consideration for if they stayed as what she might have felt for them." _She looked at him, eyes begging him to understand. _"I don't want to use you. **Never.** One thing leads to another and another. Then before you know it all I will see is your bank account and what you will give me next."_

Jasper smiled gently at her. _"You are not your mother Bella."_

Bella frowned over at him. _"How would you know?"_

He replayed her earlier motions and placed his hand over her heart. _"I know you. Here."_

Jasper smiled. _"I know you do not look at people and see the bottom line, the clothes they wear, or the cars they drive. You look at them and _see_ them. You see what and who they are beneath the facade they show, and even if there is something bad in them you go beyond it to see the good. Like with me. You have looked beyond the monster to see the man. I had begun to think he was not there."_

Bella's eyes blinked a few times as she radiated surprise. _"You're not a monster. Why would you say that?"_

"_I am only speaking the truth"_

Bella frowned at him, irritated. _"Stop saying that. Explain."_

Jasper paused and considered where to start. This was not the time or place to delve into his dark past, but he needed to tell her something. Her intensity and determination were demanding it. _"My life since turning has not been an easy one."_

"_Turning? You mean becoming a vampir__e?"_ Bella interrupted.

A ghost of a smile crossed Jasper's face. If he was going to deny his vampire nature now was his chance. He could claim that Jacob meant something else when calling his family a bunch of bloodsucking leaches. Leave it to his girl to force the truth into the open. There would be no questions or assumptions between them. Only the truth.

"_Yes, since becoming a vampire." _He took a moment to tap into her emotions. Even after it had been said there was no fear. _Amazing_. Jasper could only feel curiosity and concern coming from her.

"_Vampires, for all our facade of humanity, are driven by savage primitive instincts." _Jasper gave a rueful smile. _"The myths do not get much right, but we do need blood to sustain ourselves."_

Jasper paused, again tasting her emotions and again surprised at her lack of fear. _"_Most_ vampires see humans as a food source only. They lay claim to territories of land and defend that source from poachers. I was turned by a woman to be a solider in her army. I defended her territory and conquered new lands in her name. She encouraged us to give into our darkest instincts, to revel in the power of our nature."_

Bella leaned forward and touched him arm in comfort. Jasper grasped her hand and closed his eyes, soaking in the sympathy, concern, and love. His eyes opened and focused on her, using her as an anchor to keep him from getting lost in the memories.

Jasper continued. _"That was all I knew for the first years of this life. I eventually escaped with the help of some friends and I roamed the world for a while until Alice found me. She led us to the Cullens and we have been with them since."_

Jasper felt his body relax as he thought about his new family. _"I had forgotten what a family was like until I came to the Cullens."_ His brow furrowed in concentration. _"I do not remember much about my human life, but I can remember what home felt like. Living with the Cullens was the closest I had been to having a home. They showed me a different way to live, to get back my humanity and keep the monster at bay. For as long as I exist I will always be in Carlisle's debt for taking me in."_

Bella smiled softly at him. _"He sounds like a good man."_ Her head tilted slightly. _"How is it the Cullens are able to keep their humanity more than others?"_

Jasper smiled brightly and delved into the long debated topic. _"I think the biggest factor is that they abstain from human blood." _ He clarified when Bella's eyebrows went up. _"We hunt animals instead. We consider ourselves the vegetarians of the vampire world."_

Jasper's lips smirked a little at the vegetarian description before continuing. _"That aspect of our lifestyle lets us mingle within human world easier. We can stay in one place for longer and become a part of the world around us."_

Jasper stopped when he finally felt a spike of fear in her. Maybe now she was starting to understand what he was. He waited for her rejection.

Bella's eyes were wide and worried. _"How long can you stay? When are you planning on leaving?"_ Her eyes looked him over before flicking away to scan the room. _"I know your family has been in Forks for at least a few years. Long enough for Charlie to know and trust you, he would never have let me come with you otherwise. How long do I have __un__til you have to leave?"_

Jasper could feel her confusion, her overwhelming emotions and reaction. He reached over and pulled her onto his lap. His arms wrapped around her and tucked her head into his neck. Jasper's head went down and buried into her hair. "I will never leave you," he whispered huskily.

Jasper leaned back slightly so he could look into her eyes. His hands came up to wipe away the few tears that were escaping and rolling down her cheeks. "Without you I am _nothing_. I will be by you _always_. You are my light. My love. My _everything._"

Her deep brown eyes continued to fill with tears, but this time they were tears of joy. Bella leaned her cheek into the palm of his hand and Jasper felt her fingers touch his cheek then push his hair back from where it had fallen onto his forehead. A sharp explosion of tingles and need rushed through him and he was careful not to squeeze her too tightly. Through her touch he felt her love, need, and possessiveness. She pulled back only long enough to gently sign, _"__Mine_._"_ before letting her hands return to his hair.

Jasper nodded and let his forehead fall to rest on hers. "Yours."

* * *

A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed this first part of the date. Let me know what you think and I'll try to respond to any reviews. Thanks to everyone for reading. :)


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Stephanie Meyer

A/N: Thank you to everyone who has read, reviewed, and alerted my story. Your support is overwhelming! Love you all! Huge thanks to my beta HammerHips, you are making me a better writer and that means the world to me. :)

* * *

~Bella~

Bella sat in Jasper's lap and enjoyed the feel of his cool forehead pressed against hers. She closed her eyes and allowed his essence to merge into her, which calmed and eased her fears. Slowly and reluctantly she pulled back and looked into his eyes.

"_I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me,"_ She apologized.

Jasper shook his head slightly, _"Do not apologize. I was unprepared for the intensity of our feelings too." _He ran his fingers through her hair and Bella sighed happily at the comfort that simple gesture brought her. _"We should go talk to Carlisle."_

Bella's head tilted slightly in question and nodded encouragement as he paused to think about how to explain.

"_Carlisle is the head of our family. Our father so to speak."_ Jasper's mouth twisted in a smile and Bella allowed her fingers to brush over them softly as he continued. _"Actually, except for Alice and me he fathered all the others in the family."_

Bella blinked up at him, trying to understand.

"_Carlisle turned everyone else. He is their sire, the reason they became a vampire," _Jasper gently explained.

Bella nodded. _"But why would Carlisle be able to help us?"_

Bella watched Jasper's eyes brighten with respect. _"Carlisle is a smart man. He's a doctor."_ He said that as if it explained everything and his brow furrowed for a moment when she only shrugged in response to that.

"_Jasper, just because he is a doctor doesn't mean he is smarter than us."_ She smiled at him. _"I've seen more doctors than I can count thanks to my clumsy nature, and I can count on one hand the number I really thought were gifted in the brain department."_

"_He really is a smart man."_ Jasper defended. _"He is always researching, reading, training, bettering himself. Carlisle knows more about vampire history and nature than anyone I have encountered. He would know why we are feeling this way, if this is normal in the beginning stages of the mating."_

Bella's eyebrows shot up in surprise. Obviously Jasper had an idea of what was going on, but hadn't thought to tell her. What was the mating and when had it begun? Was this why she was suddenly a ball of uncontrolled emotions. Was that why she felt so connected to Jasper? What was happening?

"_Mating?_" Bella asked, feeling confused and hurt.

Jasper nodded, his eyes distant with his thoughts. _"Yes, the mating process. I admit I never took much notice to how it all worked. I never expected to find you."_ He looked down to her and realized something was wrong. Bella heard his sharp inward breath as his brain caught up.

Bella allowed herself to be reassured as he rushed to explain. _"No Bella no. I wasn't trying to hide this from you."_ Jasper pulled her closer, tucking her impossibly tight to his side as if he was afraid she would run. _"I never thought that I would have a mate. That whatever cosmic force that exists out there would allow _me_ the gift of having a mate. I expected to live the rest of my existence in darkness. Your light has blinded me."_

Jasper brushed his nose against her forehead. _"When you came into my life this morning,_" He gave a bark of laughter. _"It _was_ just this morning. Seems like so long ago."_

Bella watched him shake his head in amazement and she felt the same. So much had happened in such a short a period of time. Yet for all that they lacked in quantity of time there sure had been a lot of quality. It seemed as if the entire day had been filled with deep connecting moments. Bella felt closer to Jasper than she did _anyone; i_t was as if they knew each others' core. Bella remembered the silver cord binding and linking them together. She couldn't see it now, but she could feel it merging them.

Bella pulled her thoughts back to the present and focused on what Jasper's hands said. _"I never expected the reaction and pull. I never listened to the others when they talked about their mating. I never really listened to Alice when she said I would find you some day."_

Bella smoothed the wrinkles on his forehead and wished that she could push away his sadness and regret as easily. She offered silent comfort as he continued. _"I only know the basics. The mating is the connection between two souls. Each soul recognizes its other half and once they find each other they are irrevocably connected. Bound together for the rest of time."_

The rest of time. Bella smiled at that thought, that she would always have Jasper by her. For so long she had expected to be alone, to move through life apart from the rest of society. Now she knew that wouldn't be so. She had Jasper. She was not alone.

Bella smiled brightly up at him and felt her joy radiate from her to be absorbed by him. His body relaxed under her as he took in her emotions. Bella was surprised to see him look unsure when he asked, _"So you do not mind that you are bound to me?"_

"_Of course not!"_ Bella gestured emphatically. _"You are my other half. I may be lost, but I think you are right in that. I can _feel _you. Here."_ She placed her hand over her heart. _"You have filled a hole I didn't know was there. How could I not want you?"_

Jasper shrugged and shook his head, clearly not sure how to respond or explain his fears.

Bella bit her lip, her own doubts coming forward. _"What about you? Do you mind being bound to _me_?"_

She watched his brows join as he considered her question. _"Why would I mind being bound to you?"_ His eyes moved over her face. _"You are perfect."_

Bella grimaced at that. _"I am far from perfect Jasper. I can't even talk to you."_

"_We are talking _now _Bella."_

Bella's hands flew up in frustration. _"You know what I mean Jasper! I can't _talk_ to you."_ Bella could feel her eyes filling with tears as she grasped her throat, as if it was her hand that kept the words within her and not her damaged flesh.

Jasper leaned close and let his forehead push against hers as his hand took hers from around her throat and wound their fingers together. "You _talk _to me fine Bella, even if you can not _speak_ to me."

Bella breathed in his scent and allowed it to calm her. She didn't know how she was so lucky to have found someone like Jasper. Someone who had discovered her secret on his own and still didn't care. Bella couldn't wrap her head around it. All her life she had thought that _no one_ would want her, at least not like this, not romantically. Who would want someone as flawed and imperfect as her? Someone who could hear everything you said but could never say anything back?

Bella's thumb moved over the side of Jasper's hand and she focused on the movement. She repeated and immersed herself in the soothing gesture until she felt like she could continue. Bella released his hand, prepared to finish her story. _"I want to speak to you Jasper, really I do. I just can't."_

Bella looked deep into his eyes and found his acceptance. _"There was something wrong when I was born."_ Her fingertips brushed down her throat. _"My vocal cords are malformed and non-functioning. I am physically unable to speak. Other than that I am perfectly normal."_ Bella's mouth unconsciously turned into a sneer at the last words.

Jasper's hand cupped her cheek and his thumb moved over her lips to melt her sneer into a smile. Bella turned her head so her face fit more fully into his palm. She gave a little pout when he pulled his hand away to gesture. _"Who wants to be normal? That is just boring." _

Bella smiled up to him gratefully and then nodded. She relaxed into his embrace, and let her head fall onto his shoulder. She was emotionally exhausted. Her body ached from the tension she had unknowingly harbored, and now that she had freed her secret her muscles unclenched. Bella had almost fallen asleep when an elderly couple walked by and paused at the sight of them.

"Oh Harold, look at that. Isn't that sweet?" The soft voice of the woman wafted over Bella and caused her to tense slightly. Jasper gave her a gentle squeeze and she relaxed against him again.

The man let out a huff. "I think they need to go somewhere more private. This is no place for that kind of display."

Bella heard a light thump and glanced over to see that the silver haired woman had given him a little smack on the arm. "I remember when you used to take _me_ into dark corners for a cuddle."

The balding man huffed again and pulled her away, but not before he gave her a look full of love.

Jasper shook under her and she looked up to see his eyes lit with amusement. _"It seems my technique is unoriginal. I'll have to think of better ways to get you into my arm for a _c_uddle_._"_

Bella grinned back at him. _"Whatever happened to 'oldie but goody' or 'don't fix it if it isn't broken'? And you do not need to trick me into your embrace. I'll willingly come."_

Bella watched as his eyes darkened with an unknown emotion, and she felt a returning rush as her stomach clenched in anticipation. Anticipation of what she did not know, but she felt like he had gotten more out of her words than she had. She flushed and began to wiggle out of his arms, but stopped when he tightened his hold.

"I need a moment Bella. Please don't move yet."

Bella watched his eyes close as he tried to get control. What had happened? What was going on? What had she done? His chest rose and fell as he took deep measured breaths. Curiously she reached out and placed her hand over where his heartbeat should be. She closed her own eyes and tried to look into him through their connection. Bella could feel him trying to push down some very powerful emotions. They resembled passion and love, but with a harsh edge. It scraped and tore at him as he forced it back.

She let out a gasp of surprise and started to remove her hand when she realized it was _lust_. Jasper's hand moved on top of hers and she looked into his eyes. He knew what she was doing, but instead of anger he pushed her palm closer until it was tight to his chest.

The lust was still there, but under control. His love and need to protect her buffered it from reaching the surface. As she explored his essence she was hit with waves of awe and wonder, joy and gratitude.

Bella pulled back when she felt her eyes pricking with tears again. She didn't want to cry again today, she probably already looked a mess. She sat up and pushed her hands through her hair a few times in an attempt to calm any stray locks.

"You are beautiful Bella." Jasper's smooth velvet voice reassured her.

Bella blushed brightly and shook her head, unconvinced as she stood. She tightened her hold on him as her legs tried to give out on her. Jasper stood quickly and pulled her back so that her body was supported by his long lean frame. When she smiled up at him he brushed a kiss into her hairline and she felt the edge of his bottom lip on her skin. A rush of tingles shot through her and he gave her a knowing look when he pulled away.

Jasper lead her back to the section she had been at before they had begun their talk. _"Now show me which book had you so interested."_

She bit her lip and felt a rush of self consciousness. Her hand reached out and pulled out the newest teen craze and exposed the cover. _"I've heard so much about it and was wondering if it was really as good as all the hype."_

"_Is that all? You felt so strongly, are you sure it is just mild curiosity?"_

Bella nodded. _"Sure I want to read it, but what I really wanted was someone to talk to about it. I see people all the time talking about this book, even having arguments, and I want that. I want to be able to have a normal conversation with someone about the newest literary madness."_

"_There you go with the normal again. Bella, no one is normal. Or at least no one _feels_ normal. Believe me, I know."_ He shot her a little grin which she returned.

Jasper picked up the book from the shelf and looked at the description. He looked over at her with a raised eyebrow that screamed of skepticism and she wanted to giggle at it.

"_I'm curious Jasper. Don't you wonder what all the fuss is about."_ She nudged him with her shoulder teasingly.

He shrugged and picked up a second copy before turning to take them to the cashier. Bella reached out and grabbed his arm. _"What are you doing?"_

"_Well, now you have _me_ curious. I'm not sharing my book, so if we are going to talk about it you will need your own copy."_

Bella shook her head at the lengths Jasper was going to get her a gift, but she didn't fight it this time. Her fears had been allayed for the moment, and only time would tell how she would react to the next one. Bella decided to look at the circumstances each time and to not blindly reject them all.

A warm glow filled her, this was the first gift she had received in a long time. Her mother always forgot her birthday, gave crappy presents on Christmas_, _and _never_ gave spontaneous gifts. Her father had sent money for the special occasions, unsure of what she was into and unwilling to get her an unwanted gift, but Renee had taken the money for herself. She had claimed that she was saving it for a big special gift, but Bella knew it always went to a past due bill. Bella always tried to be practical and told herself that having the lights, water and roof over her head were a wonderful gift; but deep down she was bitter that her mother hadn't manage the household better.

Jasper led her to the register and placed the books down on the counter. Bella tried one last time to protest, _"Are you sure?"_

Jasper chuckled, which caused another ripple of sparks and tingles to rush through her. _"I am sure. No more fighting this one."_

She flashed him a sassy smile. _"Okay, no more for _thisone_." _

Bella went so far as to wink at him after that. She watched him bite off a laugh when they heard a loud disgruntled sigh. They looked over to see a dangerously thin girl with deep black hair scowl at them before getting up from her own chair. She took an exaggeratedly long time to mark her place with a bookmark and place the book into the seat of the chair, a clear sign to others to not dare take her spot.

The girl glided over to them in a processional-like manner. One foot forward, the other comes to meet it, next foot forward, together again.

Bella tried to keep her eyebrows still, but could feel them raising in disbelief and amusement. She tugged on Jasper's shirt sleeve and signed to him in small gestures, which was her version of whispering. _"Is this girl serious? Can you feel crazy?"_

Bella pressed her lips together when Jasper put a hand up to his face to hide his nose and mouth. He made it took like he was pinching his brow, but she knew he was hiding a wide grin. Jasper took a moment to smooth his face into a neutral mask when he answered. _"Yes, she is serious. She is full of angst and rebellion, but no crazy."_ Jasper winked at her.

The girl arrived at the counter with a slight sneer and she snorted loudly when she saw the books on the counter. She began talking lowly to herself. "Mindless drivel. I can't believe idiots are buying into this shit."

Bella was scowling at the girl, annoyed that her first date would have the taint of ignorant people. It was obvious that she had seen them signing to each other and believed that they couldn't hear her derogatory words.

Jasper's arm wrapped around her as he pulled her into his side, a clearly comforting gesture before he confronted the dark haired rebel. His voice was sharp as he said, "We just finished Dante's Inferno and wanted to read something a little lighter. Is that a problem?"

The cashier's mouth fell open in shock. Tense moments passed and no one moved until a smiling plump blond woman approached them. Her gate stuttered when she noticed the uncomfortable air around the trio. When she arrived by the stunned girl she looked between them all before addressing Jasper. "Is there a problem Mr. Cullen?"

Bella saw Jasper smile at the blond woman. "Helen, I have told you several times now to call me Jasper."

The tension eased and Bella leaned into Jasper, content to let him take care of the situation.

"It seems like this young lady doesn't like our selection." Jasper nodded down to the books still sitting on the counter.

Helen's eyes widened as she took in that information. She shot the girl a knowing look. "Chelsea, why would these kind people think that?"

Chelsea didn't meet her eyes, instead looking down at her nails.

Bella ran her hand up and down Jasper's side to prompt him to answer. If the girl was going to be difficult then they were more than capable of answering the questions.

"I think she believed we couldn't hear her." Was the simple answer that Jasper gave. Bella gave him a nudge with her hip and he winked at her. He wanted the girl to explain.

When the next seconds passed without any sign that Chelsea would cooperate Bella sighed and explained. _"She thinks that we are both deaf."_

Jasper didn't translate Bella's gestures, but Helen understood the situation with those few motions. Her eyes narrowed and she pointed to a door which Bella assumed went to a back room.

Chelsea frowned at her. "But..."

Helen's arm jabbed at the door again. "Go." Her voice was rough and low with anger.

Chelsea gave a huff and stalked away.

Helen stepped up to the counter and gave them an apologetic smile. "I'm so sorry that Chelsea upset you. She is very opinionated when it comes to the written word."

Jasper chuckled at that which caused Helen to give a real smile. "This book is very popular. _I_ read it and enjoyed it."

"Maybe after we are done we will come back and talk about it." Jasper offered as he looked down to Bella in question.

Bella smiled brightly at him and nodded. She looked over to Helen. _"I would like that."_

After Jasper repeated her words Helen pulled out a flier from under the counter. "We have a book club once a month and talk about a different book each time. We won't be talking about this book for a couple of months, but I'm more than happy to discuss it whenever you want." She smiled kindly at them.

Bella took the piece of paper and scanned the information with interest. She turned the page toward Jasper and watched his eyes flick over the words. He smiled gently at her, his eyes kind. "We can try and come."

Jasper paid for the books and led her out of the store, hand upon her lower back. Bella focused on the pleasure of his touch, letting the waves and little sparks run through her. Bella let him boost her into the passenger seat of his truck and buckled herself in while he walked around to the driver's side.

The drive back to Forks was completed in comfortable silence. Bella held his hand in her lap, letting her fingertips run over every part of his hand and wrist. She frowned as she felt small ridges higher on his wrist, scared to think that something had marked him. Jasper turned his hand over letting his palm rest on her thigh. "We can talk about those later."

Bella nodded and continued her fascinated observation of his flesh. His fingers were long and thin with rough calluses on the palms. The nails were smooth and cleanly cut. His temperature was cool, but not uncomfortably so. Bella looked up and watched his other hand gently holding the steering wheel. She knew there was such power in him but he was so gentle with her. He made her feel precious and treasured, as if she was worth all the trouble and effort she knew it would take to be in a relationship with her.

The time slipped away and before she knew they pulled next to the curb of Bella's house. Bella let out an unhappy breath and Jasper gave her a knowing look as he opened his door. Bella pouted when he opened her door and held out a hand to her. "I know Bella. I do not want this to end either."

Bella felt better after she heard that and let him tug her out of her he grabbed her book and closed the door behind her. Bella walked slowly toward the house and turned to him as they reached the door. Jasper's fingers pushed through her hair as his other hand grabbed her hip to bring her body against his. Searing heat burned through her as she pressed even closer to him.

"Bella" Jasper whispered as he leaned down.

Bella's lips silently formed his name as his mouth touched hers and her world exploded. She pushed her body closer to him as the need to feel him overwhelmed her. As her hands pushed into his hair to pull his lips harder against hers she heard the door open behind her. Bella jerked back, hands still deep in Jasper's hair to find her father looking at her with stunned amusement.

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A/N: Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think. I try to respond to all reviews (remember you now need to have PMs active for me to respond). Til next time! :)


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: everything belongs to Stephanie Meyer, no infringement intended

A/N:So sorry for the delay. I really didn't intend for it to take this long. :(

I would like to thank my prereaders Untamed Loner, Simaril, and gredelina1. They are all awesome authors so you should check them out if you don't know who they are.

Very special thank you to my beta HammerHips who took time away from her own plans to look this over. You're the best!

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~Jasper~

Jasper's world exploded as Bella's lips touched his. Lust, love, passion and need roared through him. He was aware that Bella's hands slipped into his hair and tried to pull him closer. As he began to lean further into her, the door opened. Jasper and Bella pulled apart and looked to see Charlie staring at them in surprised amusement.

Jasper reached out with his gift to test Charlie's feelings. Amusement dominated although shock, worry and fear fought to take hold. Jasper felt Bella's embarrassment and hesitation so he stepped forward and hid her behind him. He held out his hand to Charlie and spoke to his love's father. "Hello sir. My name is Jasper Cullen. I believe you know my father, Dr. Cullen."

Jasper smiled at him full of charm. "This was not the way I intended to meet you sir, but I want you to know I care deeply for your daughter and would like to ask permission to formally court her."

Charlie took his hand numbly, shocked by the outright declaration. "Uh, why don't you come in son so we can have a talk?"

Jasper nodded his agreement and pulled Bella along behind him. As he shut the door he took the chance to lean in and whisper reassurances to Bella. "It's okay darlin'. He's not mad." He winked down to her. "Not yet at least."

Jasper felt her worry ease fractionally and he squeezed her hand to calm her. Charlie waved them over to the faded couch, so Bella took a spot in the corner and Jasper took a seat next to her. Charlie slowly sat in his chair looked over to them.

"So Jasper, you want to date my daughter," Charlie said.

"Yes sir."

"What makes you worthy of her?" Charlie asked seriously.

Jasper felt a new rush of embarrassment from Bella. He saw her mouth open in shock and her hands started to come up in admonishment, but Jasper took them in his own before she could sign anything.

"No Bella it's okay. It is his right as your father to question my intentions." Jasper looked deep into her eyes and let her feel his need to be deemed worthy by her father. He wanted the man to like him and bless their relationship. Perhaps it was showing his age, but this desire to have her father's consent was so ingrained within him it was unquestionable. It had to be accomplished.

Charlie's glanced between the two of them and absorbed their interactions. Jasper felt his fear lessen and intrigue spike. Jasper could almost see the wheels begin to turn in Charlie's head; Jasper tried to suppress a smile as he moved forward with the conversation.

"Sir, I have no intention of hurting your daughter. _Ever_." Jasper looked over at Bella briefly and she smiled at him. He took a long unnecessary breath. "I know it _is_ really fast since I just met Bella this morning," Jasper said this deliberately to answer some of Charlie's unasked questions and noticed the man nod slightly in response. Charlie's brown eyes, so like Bella's, were narrowed as he took in everything and tried to make sense of the situation.

"but I know that Bella and I have a deep connection that will last." Jasper watched Charlie's brows rise along with his skepticism and doubt. "I know it sounds far fetched and unreal, but it is not."

Jasper turned to Bella and saw her bite on her lip with uncertainty. He took her hand in his and twined their fingers together. "I want to take care of Bella." At that comment he felt ruefulness from Charlie at the same time he felt annoyance from Bella. He flashed a grin at her. "Not because you _need_ me to take care of you," her annoyance faded "but because I _want_ to."

Jasper started to talk to Bella as much as he was to Charlie. "I want to make Bella happy. I know her life has been hard, and I want to ensure that from now on it is easier."

Charlie began to fidget with anger and Jasper sighed. It seemed he could not say anything right between the two of them. "Bella has told me how much you love her, and how well you have taken care of her." Jasper saw the two sets of brown eyes meet and lock. After some unspoken communication Charlie's face soften and he looked back to Jasper.

"There are some things that no one can protect her from. There is so much hate and ignorance in the world." The last was a simple statement of fact. "I can_ try _to make it a bit better for her. Try to show her how wonderful she is and that everyone has been wrong to ignore and insult her."

Jasper felt Bella lean into him, her cheek pressed against his shoulder. "I do not know that I will ever be worthy of her, but that does not change that she will always be my world."

Jasper stopped and waited for Charlie to absorb his words. Charlie's eyes were hard as they looked him over. The older man leaned forward. "You hurt her, I hurt you."

Bella surged with love and joy and it pulsed to him through their bond.

"I expect nothing less, sir." Jasper nodded agreement.

Charlie gave a little grunt before he leaned back into his chair. "You have my blessing," he held up a hand to stop any words "but I'll be watching you."

Jasper head bowed in acceptance.

Charlie coughed and looked. "How are your parents?"

Jasper smiled at the obvious subject change. "Fine, sir. My father is busy at the hospital and Mom has recently considered remodeling the old house on the outskirts of the property. I think she also mentioned it was about time for her to do another batch of cookies for everyone."

Jasper watched Charlie's nostrils flare as he tried to not wrinkle his nose, but his emotions screamed resignation and unhappiness. It would seem that Esme's cookies were not as good as she thought.

"Wonderful," Charlie commented drily. "Your mother's cookies are always so...pretty."

Jasper tried not to snort. Esme and Alice said the same thing. Pretty cookies must be delicious cookies, right? Obviously not.

"Maybe Bella can help her out sometime." There was a sliver of hope in his voice and emotional essence. "She loves to cook and I'm sure Esme would appreciate the help."

Jasper turned to Bella, eyebrow raised in question.

"_Sure. I don't mind helping."_ was her easy response to the unsaid question.

Relief flooded from Charlie and he thanked Bella in sign. _"Thank you Bella. Maybe you can show her your variation on the chocolate chunk? Those always go first."_

Bella blushed in pleasure before she nodded. _"Only if Mrs. Cullen says she wants my help. I don't want to step on anyone's toes."_

Jasper smiled gently down to her. _"I am sure she would not mind, but I will ask her when I go home tonight."_

Bella smiled her gratitude. Charlie smiled with satisfaction at the knowledge that Jasper could sign. Jasper kept his eyes on Bella as he took in the emotions around him. He smiled with regret. _"I should probably go. You have plans and I need to talk to my father."_

Bella's eyes widened and then darted toward her father before they returned to his. _"Okay. I'll talk to you tomorrow?"_

She stood and he followed her to the door. Jasper saw Charlie go into the kitchen in an attempt to give them some privacy. _"I will text you later tonight if that is okay?"_

She nodded and he felt shyness come over her. He pushed his fingers through her hair and let his forehead fall on hers for a moment as he breathed in her scent. He pulled back and looked her over, reluctant to leave. _"I will as some of the basic questions, but I will wait until you are there to get into the bonding. I would like to discuss this as soon as possible. If Carlisle is available can you come over tomorrow?"_

Her eyes flicked toward the unseen man in the kitchen. _"I think it'll be okay."_ Nervousness and anxiety surged in her.

"_It _will_ be okay darlin'."_

He felt possessiveness and need through their bond. Jasper leaned down and gave her a quick kiss on the side of her mouth because he knew if he had tried to taste her lips again he would not have been able to stop.

"_Do you want me to pick you up before school tomorrow?"_ he asked curiously.

Pride and anxiety slammed at him. _"No thank you. I can get there by myself."_

He smiled at her, amused. _"I know that Bella. Is it so hard to believe I want to stake my claim in front of everyone? You are mine and I want the world to know it."_

A soft blush caressed her cheeks. _"Do we have to tell anyone?"_

Jasper frowned. _"Why would we try to hide it? Do you not want people to know?"_

Her eyes widened. _"No! That's not it at all."_ She paused trying to find a way to word her explanation and Jasper could feel her sincerity and need to be understood. _"I don't like when people pay attention to me. I enjoy being in the background and people knowing about us will only make us the focus of gossip and speculation. I still have 'the new girl' attention to deal with and this will only add to it."_

Ruefulness, frustration, fear, and a tinge of shame colored her.

"_I understand Bella, but I do not know that I can stop myself from touching you. It will come out whether we want it to or not."_ Jasper grinned at the spike of lust and passion that came from her at his words. _"How about we not announce it, but not deny it either? I'm sure if you mention it to Jessica it will be all over the school by second period and the majority of the speculation can be done my days' end."_

He was over simplifying it and they both knew it, but her amusement and contentment eased his own fears. Jasper was sure that they would be the talk of Forks High for weeks. Maybe he should arrange for something else to happen to gain the student population's attention. He would talk to Emmett about it. It would not take much convincing to get him to hatch some master prank, and those always were the talk of the town.

"_Are we agreed then?"_ he asked and at her nod he tried to smile reassuringly. _"It won't be so bad Bella."_

Jasper watched her nose wrinkle and he suppressed a chuckle. _"I will talk to you tonight?"_ His head tilted in question. Bella's head bobbed her answer and Jasper pulled her close one last time, still reluctant to leave her. He gave her a final squeeze before he opened the door and let himself out. Bella trailed behind him and leaned against the porch railing to watch him climb into his truck. She waved and tried to give him a happy smile as he pulled out of her driveway.

Jasper allowed his mind to wander as he drove back home. He took another look at each moment and allowed his thoughts to linger on every aspect of Bella Swan. Her hair, her eyes, her skin, her touch, her scent, her kiss. He realized he had a goofy grin on his face when he began to drive up the long curing driveway leading to the house hidden in the woods. Jasper tried to smooth out his features but found his lips curled upward again as he let himself in through the garage door and walked to the living room where he knew his family waited for him in anticipation.

The faces of his family turned to him as he entered the room. Emmett sat in front of the television, a video game forgotten, the car on the screen sat motionless along the edge of a race track. Rose was next to him, her fingers ran up and down his back in a mindless gesture. Alice quivered in the chair she was perched upon, her sketch book gripped tightly in her fingers. Esme and Carlisle sat on the loveseat, Carlisle's arm wrapped around her shoulder. Edward sat at his piano in the corner and stared sullenly down at the keys, hands lifeless at his sides as he tried to remain detached after his actions earlier.

Esme tried to give him a normal welcoming smile, but he could feel her hope swelling as she took in his grin. Esme coughed delicately and hesitantly broached the topic they were all dying to know. "The kids have told me," she paused and started again, "Is this Isabella," again she stopped.

Jasper felt an overwhelming sense of love bubble from deep within him. They wanted so badly for Bella to be his, but were afraid to ask on the chance that it had not happened. They did not want him to be alone. The love of his family surrounded him and Jasper was ashamed that he had allowed his rising despair and darkness to blind him to the deep bonds he already had around him.

Jasper resisted the urge to chuckle at Rose's spike of irritation and temper. If he didn't say anything soon he knew she would blurt out the questions, unable to be subtle or gentle. In a brief moment of mischief he considered that option, but rejected it since he did not want Rose to be reprimanded by Esme.

Esme wanted only love and togetherness within their family. Her own human life had been so full of dysfunction and abuse that she strived in this life to have the perfect family she had been denied. She meant well and everyone knew her occasional reprimand or bout of control was only done with the best intentions.

Jasper allowed his grin to grow even more. "Yes, Bella is mine."

Alice squealed with such joy and ferocity that the others flinched in surprise. The petite vampire launched herself at him and enveloped him in a tight hug. Jasper felt her try to pull back suddenly, and Jasper would bet she had remembered the fact that he was not the kind that liked contact. Jasper did not let her pull away and instead brought his arms around her and pulled her in close for a tight hug. He let her feel his swirling emotions of relief, love, joy, gratefulness, and even the small amounts of sadness and regret. Jasper felt her surprise give way to deep affection and familial love as she gave him another squeeze.

Jasper whispered, "Thank you" into Alice's ear and kissed her cheek briefly before he pulled back to look into her sparkling amber eyes.

Jasper looked over her head, an easy feat since Alice was almost two feet shorter than he was, and took in the feel and expressions of his family. Emmett was smug and nudged Rose, who in turn shook her head indulgently and then smiled as her bear of a mate bounded over to Jasper and pounded him on the back in congratulations.

Emmett crowed, "This is going to be so much fun! I can't wait to see Belly Bean tomorrow and tease her for being stuck with you."

Alice's laughter tinkled through the air like shimmering bells as Jasper's eyebrows rose high.

"Belly Bean?" Jasper asked, as if his hearing had failed him for once.

Rose turned her head away so Emmett wouldn't see her silent laughter when he looked around the room. "What? Bella is too cute to be The Destroyer. I thought Belly Bean would work out. You know...Bella...Belly...Jelly...Jelly Bean...Belly Bean." Emmett scowled at them, "Just wait til I ask Belly Bean, she'll take my side." He walked back to Rose's side and sat back down on the floor as he grumbled about how his family were all killjoys.

Alice bounced back to her chair as Jasper approached this vampire parents. Esme and Carlisle stood and when he was a few steps away it was Esme who opened her arms to him to ask for an embrace. She was such a considerate soul, even though she had just seen him hug Alice she was not about to presume that she too would get one. Alice would always have a special place in his heart and the whole family knew this.

Jasper smiled kindly at Esme and stepped into the circle of her arms. Her arms softly touched his back as she whispered, "I am _so_ happy for you Jasper."

Jasper stepped back. "Thanks Mom."

She smiled brightly up at him, venom tears welled in her eyes as her love and pride of him surged in her. Esme's caramel waves swung as she turned away to let him have a moment with Carlisle. Jasper looked to the man who had become his father. He felt a brief surge of nervousness as he waited for Carlisle to say something; like any son Jasper wanted his father's approval.

Carlisle smiled easily at him and extended his hand. Jasper took it and gave it a firm shake. "Congratulations son. I'm sure she is wonderful."

There was a derisive snort from Edward, who was still looking down at the piano. Jasper's eyes shot to the copper haired boy and he growled lowly at the implied insult to his mate.

"Do you have something to say Edward?" Jasper asked in a warning voice.

Edward's head turned to show a deep scowl etched on his stony face. "I do not know why you would be happy to be bound to that freak."

Before Edward could finish the last word Jasper had rushed over to him. His hand tightened around the impudent whelp's throat and he hauled him high. Edward's feet dangled in the air and Jasper was vaguely aware of the piano seat hitting the wall as Edward tried to kick and struggle. A deep growl ripped out of his throat as he stretched his head up and let his breath wash over Edward's neck, a clear threat as to how close he was to being decapitated.

Jasper felt a red haze at the edge of his consciousness, but it was Esme's bubble of worry and fear that made him take a breath in an attempt to calm down. He heard Emmett whisper to Rose to let him go. It seemed that he had back up if he wanted it.

Jasper pulled back only fractionally and looked deep in Edward's wide eyes. Reaching out through his gift Jasper tapped into Edward's emotional stream and sneered. Fear, resentment, confusion, jealousy, pride.

Jasper's voice was deadly when he spoke. "You little shit. Don't you _dare_ try to take your inadequacies out on Bella."

Edward's lip curled, only to go slack with surprise when Jasper suddenly let him go. Edward fell hard to the ground and became a heap of tangled limps at Jasper's feet. Jasper looked down at him and fought the urge to give him a hard kick.

There was complete silence from the family as they watched the interaction. Jasper twisted his body slightly to defer to Carlisle and allow him to take over. In a second Carlisle stepped forward next to Jasper and nodded, but Jasper stayed in place unable to completely submit to the man's authority to take over.

"What are you talking about Edward?" Carlisle's smooth calm voice flowed out of him.

Edward started to get up, but quickly sat down again when Jasper's gave a vicious growl. Carlisle crouched slightly to get on a lower level and tried again. "Edward?"

Edward looked around frantically, suddenly desperate for them to understand. "There is something _wrong_ with her."

Jasper rumbled with anger and he heard a similar reactions from Emmett, Rose and Alice. Esme simply gasped her distress.

Carlisle remained ever calm. "Why are you saying this Edward? What makes you think there is something wrong with her."

Edward scrambled to his knees and clutched at one of Carlisle's arms. "She isn't there!"

Confusion echoed through the room.

"Isn't there? How is she not there?" again Carlisle's smooth voice washed over Edward and persuaded the boy to give more information.

Edward's eyes flicked to his other siblings, pleading. "During lunch. I thought she was lost in the crowd. It was okay." His voice was choppy as he rushed to explain. "Then when we met and her smell was..."

Jasper roared as Edward's emotions began to melt into lust and need. The boy's voice stopped sharply and he tried to focus again.

"But after. During class..." he shook his head as he struggled to find the words "I tried to hear her. To listen. I needed to understand what had happened. Why? Why her?"

Carlisle nodded understanding and encouragement as his hand patted the clutching claws that were still attached to his arm.

Edward's voice fell to a whisper. "But she wasn't there. I tried. So hard."

Edward's hands suddenly released Carlisle to form fists in his tangled copper mane, his wide eyes filled with tears as rage, confusion, and desperation overwhelmed him. "_I can't hear her."_

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A/N: I am going to try and do better on the turn around for the next chapter. No promises, but I'm going to try. Let me know what you think. :) I respond to all reviews.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Stephenie Meyer. I'm just playing with them. :)

A/N: I appreciate everyone's patience with me. It was never my intention to take this long to get this chapter up. If you are still with me, thank you!

This story has been nominated for The Organic Tomato Award for most original storyline in The Tomato Soup Awards. Thank you to whoever nominated me. Voting begins on September 6th.

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Previously in Unheard:

"_But after. During class..." he shook his head as he struggled to find the words "I tried to hear her. To listen. I needed to understand what had happened. Why? Why her?"_

_Carlisle nodded understanding and encouragement as his hand patted the clutching claws that were still attached to his arm. _

_Edward's voice fell to a whisper. "But she wasn't there. I tried. So hard." _

_Edward's hands suddenly released Carlisle to form fists in his tangled copper mane, his wide eyes filled with tears as rage, confusion, and desperation overwhelmed him. "_I can't hear her_."_

~Carlisle~

Carlisle looked down at his first companion in surprise. He could not recall a time when Edward had not been able to hear the mental thoughts of another being. He felt a spike of intrigue as he considered the possible reasons for why this could happen. Carlisle's desire to meet Jasper's mate increased.

Carlisle looked over at Jasper when he heard the man growl lowly. He looked over at the newly mated vampire calmly. "Jasper, you can not blame me for being curious. If there is something that is causing her mind to be blank to Edward I would think you would want to know."

"I do not care why." was Jasper's rough response.

"Will she care?" Carlisle asked softly. He looked calmly at his youngest son and waited. Carlisle watched Jasper's eyes narrow and he scowled before he looked away.

"We can discuss it tomorrow." Jasper said shortly.

"Tomorrow?" came the query from behind them.

Carlisle turned to look over the rest of the family. Esme hands were clenched together, but her face was alight with excitement. Rose and Emmett were in an embrace and watched the scene avidly. Alice had returned to her chair to sketch, but the tilt of her head told Carlisle that her attention was still on them.

Carlisle stayed silent to allow Jasper to respond to Esme's question. Carlisle watched the emotions and internal conflicts flick across Jasper's face. His focus was divided between Edward and the family; his need to dominate competed with his need to explain. The fact that Jasper was even divided amazed Carlisle. He loved his son, but he had always know that his own sense of preservation and defensiveness were a priority in his personality. He had spent too long simply surviving to let down his guard too much; and that Jasper was now conflicted about backing off on Edward to explain showed Carlisle that his mate had already made a difference in Jasper's life. Pride radiated off of Carlisle and he smiled when Jasper nodded his acknowledgment of the emotion.

Finally Jasper stepped back after a short harsh growl of warning to Edward. He looked between Esme and Carlisle and asked, "Bella was going to come over tomorrow if that is okay?"

Alice bounced happily in her chair, which caused the springs to give a little squeak. Esme gave her a quick look and Alice stopped her movement with a murmured apology. Carlisle shook his head in amusement at the exchange. His eyes rested briefly on Emmett's wide grin and how Rose leaned easily against him. Carlisle returned his attention to the golden haired man in front of him. "That's fine son. I have an early shift tomorrow. I should be back by six."

Carlisle's brows furrowed. "Do we need to make dinner plans for everyone?"

Emmett grumbled unhappily behind him but it was Jasper's down-turned face and sheepish posture that captured Carlisle's golden gaze. "Son?"

"We can make dinner for Bella, but it will not be necessary for us to eat with her." Jasper's smooth voice replied.

Edward hissed angrily. "You will be the death of us all."

Carlisle looked between the two as they growled at each other. When Jasper began to crouch in preparation to strike he intervened. "Explain!"

Jasper gave one more viscous snarl which caused Edward to flinch back reflexively. Jasper sneered down at the copper haired boy. "Bella knows what we are."

There were gasps of surprise from Rose and Esme.

"How?"

"A little wolf told her." was Jasper's cryptic answer, amusement tinged his voice.

Carlisle quickly made the connection. "That would be a breach in the treaty, if indeed a new pack has formed."

Jasper flashed a grin at Carlisle, and he relaxed a bit as Jasper's easy going personality came forward. "He did not know she could hear him."

Carlisle nodded to give unspoken encouragement. Jasper's eyes narrowed warily as he took in the interest and intensity his family's gazes. Carlisle waited and watched as Jasper considered his words. Finally Jasper looked over at Alice, eyebrow arched in question. Carlisle turned to put his youngest daughter in his peripheral gaze and saw her eyes loose focus briefly before she gave her own nod of encouragement to Jasper.

Carlisle waited until Jasper sighed in resignation. This was not news he _wanted_ to tell, but had judged _needed_ to be told. "Bella is not deaf; she's mute."

There was a stunned silence behind Carlisle but he only focused on the two sons before him. Jasper's eyes flicked from person to person and gauged each reaction, his body tense with unreleased anxiety. It was Edward's response that disappointed Carlisle. The young man's face was looking down, a small sneer of disgust on his face. His fingers ran along fine cracks in the hardwood floor.

"Edward!" Carlisle snapped. Edward's face snapped up to him and then fell open in shock as he took in the thoughts that ran through him. How could his son look upon the disability of another in disgust? Everyone had their own challenges in life; some more than others. These challenges sometimes manifested themselves physically, like they had apparently had within Bella; but to sneer at another for that was reprehensible. He would have thought that Edward would appreciate the difficulties of other special people since he himself was gifted.

"I am _nothing_ like her." came Edward's whiny snarl.

Carlisle shook his head. "Maybe not, but that does not mean you should not understand."

He looked to his heart, his Esme, and took comfort in her soft smile of agreement. Carlisle returned his attention to Edward. "You will fix the floor Edward. Esme will oversee it."

Emmett and Rose chuckled maliciously and Edward scowled at them. Carlisle suppressed a grin of his own. Esme could be a hard taskmaster when she wanted to be, and Carlisle _knew_ she would be especially hard on Edward this time. Esme, the kind soul that she was, wanted each of her single children to find their mates; to know the love of and peace that came with the bonding. Edward's behavior would earn him her wrath. Carlisle was guessing she would make him do the entire floor to make sure the stain matched perfectly; not because she really cared but because it would extend the punishment.

"Before you start Edward, you will join me and Jasper in my office. We need to discuss some things." Carlisle waved him up and began to walk down the hall as he heard the two men follow.

Carlisle sat behind his large oak desk before he leaned forward and rested his elbows on the edge. He fleetingly reminisced that this was the exact spot that Esme's ass had been just hours earlier; her lovely ass that fit so perfectly in the palms of his hands. Her ass which made him want to...

Carlisle's errant thoughts were stopped by Edward reaching up to pinch his brow, an outward show of his annoyance. Carlisle only shrugged in a 'can you blame me' gesture and flashed Jasper a quick grin before he smoothed out his features.

"Boys," he began as his long fingers steepled in front of him, "we need to resolve this. We need to get some things straight so that we can move forward. Jasper, no attacking Edward while we are in this room."

Carlisle waited until Jasper nodded agreement, but he knew that it would only last as long as this discussion was going on. Once they were out of this room Jasper would not hold back; not that he blamed him. If anyone insulted Esme he knew he would react similarly; it was a natural instinct of their kind to defend their mates.

Carlisle turned his eyes to Edward. "Tell me what happened today."

Edward ran his hand through his hair as he tried to prevent the panic that he had displayed earlier. "Everything changed when she got to the art class. I didn't notice earlier."

"Notice what?"

"Her _scent_. Her _silence_." Edward ran his hands through his hair again, and pulled. "I have _never_ come across anything like it."

"Try to describe her scent. What happened when you smelled her?" Carlisle asked, even though he knew the answer. Esme and the others had given him a quick rundown of the events, but they had wanted to wait for Jasper to return before they delved into the possible reasons behind it all.

Edward choked on a groan as Jasper growled at him. He coughed to cover it up, then continued. "She started to walk into the room, and the wind blew by her. Her scent was," he paused in thought, "_delicious_."

Jasper snarled.

"Jasper!" Carlisle chastised. "Not in this room. Go on Edward."

"I am not sure how to describe it. I have never come across anything like it. The need to feed was so intense and overwhelming. It was agony to lock my body down and not attack her." Edward looked to Jasper for confirmation and he nodded.

Jasper added. "What he says is the truth. He _was_ fighting it." He sat back and Carlisle could see that Jasper had allowed himself to examine the scene from an outside perspective. Good. They needed his cooperation for this to work.

Jasper began to speculate out loud. "As soon as he caught her scent he was on the hunt. Edward was fighting to keep control. We were lucky Alice was there to help. Her visions saved us."

Carlisle's eyebrow rose at the statement. "What did she show you?"

Pain flashed across Edward's face. "Death." He whispered harshly. His body shuddered a little as he remembered and Carlisle decided to move on and nodded to Jasper.

"Alice got him to stop long enough to gain some control. It was close." Jasper's hand started to rub along his jaw, along one of his many scars. It was a gesture he often did when he was deep in thought. "Edward normally has amazing control, but this time..."

Carlisle leaned back in his chair and considered the options. It was his turn to muse aloud. "Edward, would you say the bloodlust was the worst you have ever had? Even more so than when you were a newborn?"

Edward's brow dipped as he compared the memories. "Yes," he answered slowly, "I think it _was_ worse. How is that _possible_?"

"During my time with the Volturi I heard tales of the La Tua Cantante. The Singer. The person whose blood would be the siren song to the vampire, making them forget everything but the need to devour and kill. It sounds like Bella might be your Singer Edward. If this is so then I am very proud of you for not attacking her. That showed great strength and willpower."

Edward's face lit up at the praise, but fell when Carlisle continued. "Even so, that does _not_ excuse your earlier outburst and insults of her. You will still need to go to Esme and fix the floor that you broke."

"But it was Jasper that dropped me and caused it." whined Edward.

"If you had not provoked him, then he would not have dropped you." Carlisle sighed. "You will understand when you have found your own mate Edward. Go on now. The sooner you start, the sooner you will be done."

Edward's white face turned down in a sulk as he stood and headed to the door. He paused as he reached the threshold and looked back to both of them. "I think I need to go to the Denali's for a few days."

Carlisle's eyebrows twitched in surprise.

"Eliazar was a Volturi guard for a while; maybe he knows more." Edward looked at the trim that surrounded the door and admitted, "I don't know what will happen the next time I see her."

Edward looked at Jasper and Carlisle could see a fervent quality in his eyes. "I don't want to hurt her."

Jasper nodded, but remained silent.

"I apologize for my earlier outburst Jasper. I felt like I was going insane; loosing all my control. I was taking it out on your Isabella. I'm sure she is a very nice girl." The last part was said dubiously.

The corner of Jasper's mouth twitched, but he only nodded again. Edward glanced back to Carlisle and gave a slight bow, then left to find Esme.

Carlisle looked to Jasper, still somewhat amazed. "I think that is the first time in fifty years that he has apologized for anything."

"It would seem my Bella is going to have an effect on more than just me." Jasper grinned.

Carlisle smiled back, happy to see Jasper so at peace. He had always had an edge to him, like he never completely relaxed; but now he seemed different. There was a calm to him that had never existed before.

"Tell me about your new mate." Carlisle prompted when it became obvious that Jasper was content to just sit in silence.

Carlisle watched in amazement as smile full of adoration broke over Jasper's lips. He seemed to light up from within. "She is...perfect."

Jasper fell silent, eyes no longer focused on the present. Carlisle suppressed a chuckle, and Jasper returned to himself. "You find this all amusing."

"Very. I wasn't sure I would ever see this side of you. I had hoped, of course, but it is going to take some getting used to. You seem happy. Free."

Jasper nodded. "I am. She is wonderful. So strong and beautiful. So loving and accepting."

Their eyes met and the light in Jasper's gaze dimmed a little. "She _does_ know about us Carlisle."

"You said a wolf told her?" Carlisle asked.

"Yes. Jacob Black; he was there to fix her truck." Jasper snorted. "It will take more than a snot nosed pup to fix that thing." He shook his head and returned to the topic. "She turned her back to him and he shouted that he wasn't going to let us eat her and he would keep her safe from our blood sucking family."

"Black. He must be the descendant of Ephragm, the last pack's Alpha. If he has phased then he must be the new Alpha." Carlisle stopped when Jasper shook his head.

"I thought so as well, but he denies being the Alpha."

Carlisle's eyebrow twitched in surprise and listened as Jasper continued.

"We did not talk much, but he recommended that the bigwigs get together." Jasper's mouth curled at the corners as he called Carlisle a bigwig.

Carlisle decided tease Jasper a bit, and with a straight face said, "I'll have you know that I have not worn a wig in years. Maybe we should get Esme to meet with them, that little blond one she worn a few nights ago was quite lovely."

Jasper burst into loud laughter, which made Carlisle smile happily. Jasper had always held back a little from conversations. He would smile as they teased and joked, but never joined in. This deep laugh was something he had heard before as an observer to Alice and Jasper's conversations. Only with Alice had he ever let down his guard some, but Carlisle guessed that even with her he held back. That was going to change. Carlisle knew he was no Alice, but he foresaw changes in their family very soon.

There was amusement still in his voice when Jasper stated, "I don't think the wolves want to meet Madame Annette. Hell, _I_ don't want to meet Madame Annette."

"She is quite charming, Jasper,"

"I'm sure she is Carlisle, but I think you need to keep that to the bedroom." there was a twinkle in his eyes at that comment.

There was a shout of agreement from Emmett. "Yeah, keep that shit to yourselves!"

A smack quickly echoed through the house, which only made him continue. "I will not be quiet Rose. I don't need those mental images."

Carlisle heard Edward grumble, "Your images are not anywhere close to what I have to see from their heads."

Carlisle shook his head as the family continued to bicker and tease. "Do you think I should get this room soundproofed?"

Jasper flashed him a grin. "It might be easier on all of us if you just soundproof your bedroom instead."

Carlisle swallowed his own chuckle. "I'll look into that."

They enjoyed the air of amusement for a few more moments before Jasper leaned forward with a more serious expression. "Jacob has already informed them of the new events. He was not expecting a good response."

Carlisle nodded. "Tell me exactly what happened so I know how to respond to their questions."

Jasper was very succinct. "I went to go pick up Bella for our date. Jacob was there and inadvertently gave Bella all the clues to figure out what we are. She came to me anyways, even knowing..." Jasper's eyes got lost for a moment as a wistful smile pulled at his lips. "She touched me and the bond strengthened. It had been there all day, but when she touched me..." His blond waves bounced on his forehead when he shook his head. "Jacob witnessed it and seemed to understand that this is not something that can be stopped. He said he would tell the others and that you should all get together to discuss it."

Carlisle leaned forward, "Explain how the bond strengthened when she touched you."

Jasper shook his head. "Not right now."

Carlisle arched his eyebrow.

"Bella wants to be here when we discuss the bond. I will not break my word to her on that. You will just have to wait until tomorrow." Jasper explained.

Carlisle let out an exaggerated sigh. "If you insist Jasper. Now, again, tell me about your mate."

Jasper's brow furrowed. "I already did."

"You didn't mention her disability."

Carlisle watched Jasper shrug. "I did not consider it important when describing her to you."

"Not important?" skepticism laced the doctor's tone.

Again Jasper shrugged. "No, not important. Her being mute is a part of who she is, like her height, or her hair color. I love _everything_ about Bella and would not want to change her."

Carlisle understood, he felt the same about Esme. "Did she say why she was mute though?"

Jasper smirked. "You can't help yourself can you? You have to know the answer to everything. Do not deny it, I can feel it burn through you; the need to know."

"Of course I want to know. Now will you tell me?" Carlisle waited, then decided maybe he _didn't_ like this new Jasper. The old Jasper never held out information just to see him squirm.

"Can't take it Carlisle?" Jasper taunted him. "Okay, I will tell you if you do one thing for me."

"Alright." he readily agreed. Jasper would never ask him to do anything that he knew Carlisle would find uncomfortable.

Jasper leaned forward and grabbed a piece of paper and pen from the desk and began to write. "Bella offered to help Esme with her cookies."

Carlisle was confused at the abrupt change in topic. "That should be fine Jasper. I'm sure Esme would love to have the help."

Jasper handed him the paper, and Carlisle looked down. His mouth fell open as he read and looked up to Jasper to see if he was serious. He was. Carlisle looked down at the paper again, as if when he read the words again they would change.

_Esme's cookies taste bad. Bella will show her how to make a delicious cookie. You need to tell Esme._

Carlisle debated, but could not fight his need to know more about Bella's condition. "Fine. Now tell me."

Jasper chuckled. "Bella said that her vocal cords are not functioning. She has been this way since birth. She learned sign language as a means of communication."

Carlisle felt his mind start to analyze the information; his attention slipped away from the environment around him. It was when Jasper got up to leave that Carlisle refocused.

"I am going to see how many coats of stain and sealer Esme will make Edward do. I am thinking four." Jasper commented.

"Six." came Emmett's guess from the other side of the house.

"Three." was Rose's.

There was no guess from Alice, so she must already know.

"Five, then she will make him redo the entire floor when he returns." was Carlisle's guess.

Jasper shook his head and left Carlisle alone. He sat there and contemplated Bella's plight and the changes that could happen with her presence in their lives. He looked up when Esme glided into the room and shut the door behind her.

Her face was set in an unhappy frown. Carlisle jumped up and went to her side. "What is wrong dear?"

"I can not believe you offered Madame Annette to go meet the wolves! What were you thinking?" Esme admonished him.

"Esme, darling, you know I was just teasing Jasper." He tried to reassure her.

Esme pulled a wig from behind her back; it was the long straight black haired one. Carlisle saw the mischievous glint enter her eyes. "I think Mistress Dominque would have been much more appropriate."

Carlisle gave a throaty laugh and reached for his mate. He would worry about cookies and wolves later, right now he had more important things to do.

* * *

A/N: I hope it was worth the wait! Let me know what you think. I try to respond to all reviews.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. No infringement is intended

A/N: Thank you so much to all my readers! Y'all are the best; all the support you have given me is very humbling. A special thanks to Untamed Loner, SimarilShrugged, and Gredelina1 for taking the time to look this over and tweek it.

I apologize for the lateness of this chapter. Please believe me, as hard as it is to imagine, that I have been working on this the entire time. I hope that everyone enjoys it, and thank you to everyone who has stuck with me throughout all the delays.

Now on to Day 2!

* * *

~Bella~

Bella woke as her arm reached out for Jasper. It felt like her body expected him to be beside her. Her fingers curled in the blanket and pulled it to her chest to hug is as she sighed. It was as if the blanket could muffle the ache that she felt in her chest. Bella closed her eyes and focused on the ache and felt the bond. It pulled at her to get to Jasper; to touch him, feel him, taste him. Bella moaned at that last thought; she could not deny that she desperately wanted to feel his lips on hers again.

Bella closed her eyes and concentrated on the bond and felt it pulse with energy, then flare to life. She inhaled sharply when she felt Jasper. He knew she had tapped into the bond and began to send her love and comfort. Bella pushed her face deeper into the blanket and wiped away the tears that had formed at the edges of her eyes.

Bella let him know she was aware of him when she pushed a welcome toward him. She smiled at his amusement and pride then got up out of bed and stretched. She soon found herself dressed and downstairs. She smiled at her father, who already sat at the table with a cup of coffee in front of him.

"Morning Bells." He greeted from behind the newspaper he read.

Bella signed her morning greeting and went to the counter to pour herself a cup of coffee and bowl of cereal. She grabbed a spoon out of the drawer and brought everything to the table as she sat across from her father. As she ate her breakfast her eyes moved to the clock several times, surprised each time that it had barely moved forward. Her chest began to ache again, and she shifted restlessly in her seat as she continued to eat.

She looked up at her father when she heard him chuckle. Her eyebrow raised in question as her head tilted slightly to the side.

"Go on Bells." Charlie told her.

Her brows dipped down in confusion, which made him smirk.

"Bella, you are as antsy as a cat about to get a bath. I know you want to go meet Jasper, so go on." he nodded his head toward the door.

Bella felt her face flush with heat at her father's words. Charlie hid his face behind the paper and she knew he was grinning behind it. He coughed and tried to sound stern. "If you don't get out of here, I'm never going to make it to the comics and then I'll have to wait all day to find out what antics Garfield gets into."

Bella smiled fondly at her father. He always claimed that he read the comics last so that he could end with something funny after all the drama and depression from the rest of the paper. She stood and poured out the remaining cereal and rinsed her bowl before she returned stand by his chair. Charlie looked over at her and she leaned her body into him to give him a little hug. Charlie grunted softly and patted her back awkwardly. With a grin Bella pulled back and showed him the comics she had grabbed from the table while he was distracted. Before he could react she turned and ran away, the comics still in hand. Bella tripped as she turned the corner into the living room, but caught her balance before she hit the floor. She grabbed her bag from beside the front door and left to the sounds of Charlie's laughter.

Bella smiled the whole way to school. She enjoyed that she and Charlie had an easy relationship and could tease each other without it being forced or awkward. Charlie always tried to make up for the fact that Renee had gotten custody of her, even though she had told him numerous times that he didn't have to.

The time it took to get to the school seemed to drag by, but Bella was aware that the closer she got the more the ache with in eased. A grin broke out on her face when she saw Jasper. She was only vaguely aware of the silver car he leaned against. Her sight was completely focused on the man. Bella could feel his pleasure and anticipation as he caught sight of her truck.

Bella carefully pulled into the space next to him and as she put it into park the door opened and he filled the doorway. She looked down and shifted closer to him. Her hands reached out, the need to touch him overwhelmed her. Bella clasped the back of his neck to urge him closer until their foreheads touched and she could breathe him in. His arms locked around her waist and pulled until her side was pressed up against him.

It wasn't enough.

Bella pushed on his shoulders to urge him to step back, and when he did she went with him. She maneuvered out of the truck and her body slid against him as her feet moved down toward the pavement. Jasper tightened his hold on her before her feet could touch the ground and she dangled in the air for a moment as he grinned down at her happily. She flashed him a brief grin in return before she pecked his cheek and wiggled to tell him she wanted down. Jasper gave a little groan of delight and buried his face in her hair as he let her body slide down until her feet touched the ground. His teeth nipped at her neck playfully and she flushed at heat swirled through her. Bella boldly grabbed the back of his head as she turned her face to him and captured his lips with her own. Jasper groaned again, and pushed his hands into her hair as he attacked her mouth. After an indefinite amount of time Bella leaned back with a gasp and then buried her face in Jasper's chest when she caught sight of the smirks on his family's faces.

Jasper's body rumbled with his chuckles of amusement. "You better get used to the attention Darlin'. My family has no concept of privacy."

Alice's bell laughter sounded on the wind. Several students turned to look and did double takes as they took in the embracing couple.

Bella watched as students bounced from group to group, each in turn stopped their conversations to listen then look in their direction. Bella wished she could become invisible and hide, but she knew this would happen the moment someone noticed her and Jasper together. Jasper had been right, he couldn't stop touching her and it seemed that she could not find it within her to remove herself from his embrace. Instead of retreating she moved closer and sought comfort in his touch.

Jasper turned so his body hid her from the wide eyed stares of the other students. Emmett and Alice shifted to that they too were blockading her from the unwanted attention. Rosalie stood apart from them, her hands settled on her hips in unhappy fists. She glared at anyone who dared to look their way and the gawkers moved away so they could gossip in peace.

Bella breathed a little sigh of relief that she was no longer the obvious focus. She was smart enough to know that she was all that was on their lips, but that didn't mean she wanted to see it happen right in front of her.

Bella smiled at her protectors and signed her thanks. Emmett grinned down at her.

"No problem Belly Bean. You just let me know if anyone is mean to you and I'll make sure they regret it."

Bella looked up at Jasper when she felt his irritation through their new bond. She didn't know what had caused his irritation. Was it because Emmett had just threatened the student population or because a threat might be necessary? Or was he irritated from something not associated with their conversation at all? She gained a whole new respect for Jasper in that moment. She was distracted and confused, and that was only from feeling _his_ emotions. Bella could not begin to imagine how he coped with his gift and the ability to feel _everyone_. Bella wondered if he felt people like she felt him, on the edge of her awareness; strong enough to make itself known but soft enough to be ignored if needed.

Bella let Emmett's words run through her mind again as she took in the expectant look on his face.

"_Belly Bean?_" she took the time to spell out the words to ensure she hadn't heard him wrong.

Emmett nodded and grinned down at her with excitement. Bella covered her moth to cover her silent laughter as she watched him execute a very Alice-like move when he began to bounce in place as he waited.

Bella waited, curious to see what he would do if she said nothing. Finally he half yelled "Well, what do you think of the name?"

Jasper burst into laughter and Rosalie looked at Emmett with fond exasperation. Emmett scowled at Jasper until she lowered her hand and exposed her wide grin. Then he too began to chuckle at his own eagerness.

"Come on Belly Bean, you know it fits better than The Destroyer." he nodded in agreement to his own statement.

Bella frowned and pulled her eyebrows down before she narrowed her eyes. She folded her arms in front of her for a moment before signing in sharp motions. _"Don't I look like a Destroyer to you?"_

Emmett just continued to grin. "Nope."

Bella immediately relaxed her body and leaned back against Jasper again. With a shrug she said, _"You're probably right. Belly Bean it is."_

Emmett gave a little shout of victory along with a fist pump before he pointed to each of his family members in turn and gloated. "Ha! I told you she would like it. Didn't I?"

When no one agreed he turned to Rosalie, "Didn't I say she would like it babe?"

Rosalie rolled her eyes and said, "Yes Em, you _did_say that."

Emmett started to do a little happy dance where he bounced back and forth from foot to foot and did a bunch of finger pointing.

Bella had to turn away when Rosalie winked at her and Emmett began to perform little hip thrusts while he chanted, "That's right. That's right. Who's the man? I'm the man. That's me."

Bella shook with laughter and she could feel Jasper's chest quake under her cheek as he too was overcome with amusement.

Alice finally brought them out of their mirth when she informed the group that they would all be late if we didn't start toward class in the next three minutes.

Jasper reached behind him and took Bella's bag from the seat before he slammed the door shut. Bella winced at the loud squeal of protest the hinges gave.

_"Careful with my truck Jasper. She needs a gentle touch."_Bella scolded.

Bella watched his lips tense and with concern she looked inward to investigate his emotions. Bella scowled when she realized he was trying not to laugh at her.

_"There is _nothing_ wrong with my truck! She's a classic. So what if she can't get over 45. It's not like I'm in a hurry to get anywhere around here."_

Jasper's amusement increased and started to influence her. Her lips twitched as she herself tried to suppress a grin. With a burst of silent laughter Bella gave Jasper a little slap across his arm. _"Stop it."_

Jasper grabbed her hand and started to pull her toward the school, but not before she saw him look over her head. Bella glanced back to see Rosalie nod at whatever silent communication she and Jasper had just had.

Bella allowed Jasper to guide her through the halls toward their first class. She watched the students as he navigated. Eyes followed them; most were wide with awe and wonder but some were narrowed with anger and disgust. After a few of the latter glares Bella moves closer to Jasper. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder as she leaned in and placed her own arm around his waist. Her thumb found its way into his belt loop, her palm cupped his hip.

They entered their first class and Jessica rushed over and grabbed her hand. Jessica pulled on her and dragged her across the room until they reached the seats they had occupied the previous day.

"Is it true?" Jessica demanded as soon as she had stopped and turned to face her.

Bella wrapped her arms around herself as soon as she was released. She felt a shiver run through her as she dispelled the uncomfortable feeling that had come over her at the other girl's touch.

Bella focused on Jessica and her eyebrows furrowed as she tilted her head to show her confusion.

Jessica reached toward her as if to touch her again but Bella stepped out of her reach. Jessica's hands flailed for a moment before she used their momentum to gesture toward Jasper in accusation. "Are you and Jasper together?"

Bella nodded cautiously, then looked around her briefly to see what her escape options were. She relaxed a bit when she saw that she had a clear path to Jasper and that he and Alice were watching the interaction closely.

"Like, _together_together?" Jessica probed.

Again Bella nodded. It was better to get this information out in the open, and Jasper had been right about Jessica being the perfect conduit for the gossip. She would rather just tell Jessica the basic information and let her run with it. The rumors would run wild either way, maybe they would be more contained if there were some facts to ground them. Yeah right, and pigs grow wings and fly.

"You said you didn't like Jasper." Jessica accused hotly.

Bella looked over to Alice and tilted her head to ask her presence. Alice smiled and bounced over to them. Jessica frowned at the petite vampire, and in a demeaning voice asked, "Can I help you?"

Alice just smiled back. "No, but I can help Bella."

_"Alice, can you translate for me please?"_Bella asked her.

Alice nodded her accent.

Bella tilted so that Alice and Jasper, who still watched, could see her gestures but looked at Jessica while she told her, _"What I said was that I didn't think that Jasper would be interested in me. I was wrong."_

Bella glanced back at Jasper and then had to look away as the heat in his eyes caused a corresponding heat to flood her body. It still amazed her that he could look at her like that, with such passion and need. It made her feel things she had thought she was incapable of feeling. The fact that he could make her feel so dizzy with want made her feel more stable, not like the chaos one normally describes.

All her life she had been different, and while she had had the occasional crush like any adolescent she had never felt _anything_resembling this. Sure, one reads the books and sees the cliché words about love and lust but that was all they were – words. Her lack of passion, in anything, had made her feel just as strange and different as her inability to speak. One more defect; but she had been wrong. She was not defective.

In Jasper she had found her match. Her mate. In him was her passion, her lust, her love. It was his and his alone.

With a blush still on her cheeks she confronted Jessica. _"Is there something wrong with Jasper and I being together?"_

Jessica gaped at her. "Um. No. I just. Well. Like. Um."

Bella watched her stumble for words with an arched brow. She saw the teacher enter the room out of the corner of her eye. Jasper approached moments later and pulled her against him.

"Darlin', class is going to start. Let's get you set up." his smooth voice interrupted Jessica's inarticulate words.

Bella nodded up at him to acknowledge his words. She slowly moved her hands up his abdomen, her fingers then caressed his chest before they reached his collarbone. Bella's left hand grasped the back of his neck and she pulled herself up his body as she wound her fingers through his hair. As she came up on her toes her face tilted back she let her right hand move along his shoulder. She watched with hooded eyes as his body curled down to meet her. Bella's lips brushed his and sparks danced along her body. She let her lips linger for a moment before her hand took the strap of her bag on his shoulder and tugged it down his arm as she backed away from him.

Jasper watched her in amazement as she stole her bag back, and then burst into laughter when she winked at him and turned away.

Bella took her seat from the previous day and grinned at Alice and Jasper as they walked by her. Jasper grabbed the back of her chair and pulled until she was within reach of his hands. She gave a little gasp and looked back and shook her head when he responded with a smirk.

Bella tried to focus on the teacher as the class progressed, but was distracted the instant Jasper began to run his finger through her hair. As her long locks were caressed she felt a surge of giddiness and contentment. Bella looked over her shoulder at him, but turned back when she saw the heat in his eyes again.

After the teacher concluded his lecture Bella felt Jasper's body close to her own. She watched his arms reach around from behind her and grab the desk on either side of her; he had effectively trapped her in. His scent surrounded her and she closed her eyes and took it in. When she felt his breath wash along her cheek she tilted her head and saw his eyes twinkle. "Ready?"

She bobbed her head in an affirmative and let him pack her things as she tried to compose herself. Jasper chuckled lowly, knowing her struggle.

The next class passed similarly as Bella struggled to focus and push Jasper's touches from the forefront of her mind. She huffed in a bit of frustration as that class ended.

Jasper's brows dipped. _"What's wrong?"_

_"I'm never going to pass my classes with you distracting me so much."_Bella confessed.

Jasper smirked and Bella frowned at him. _"Jasper, that is not a good thing. What am I going to do?"_

Jasper pulled her into a hug and she relaxed as the embrace enveloped her. He leaned back and signed, _"I'm sorry. I_ am_ trying but I can't seem to stop touching you. It calms me."_

Bella watched his eyes lose focus as he considered his motivations.

_"It is instinctual, this need to touch you. To know that you are here, that I really have found you. It is taking all of my will not to keep you on my lap and roar to all the males that you are mine."_Jasper frowned and Bella knew he was disturbed by his own struggle.

Bella leaned back into him and rested her cheek on his chest. Her arms moved up and down his back in a movement meant to bring him comfort. When she felt him relax she removed herself from the embrace and grabbed his hand. Jasper smiled down at her and led her out of the room.

Jasper paused outside of the cafeteria. _"Do you want to eat with us, or with your friends today?"_

Bella didn't hesitate before she said, _"I want to eat with you today."_

Jasper nodded and opened the door. They walked to the table already occupied by Jasper's siblings. Bella gave a little wave to Angela as she passed her and was pleased when the girl responded with a wave of her own. She took note of the variety of reactions of the other table members but did not let her mind linger on their significance.

Bella settled in a chair between Alice and Jasper, who again tugged her over until she was pressed against him. Bella heard the sounds of the cafeteria around her and realized she hadn't made herself anything for lunch. She started to scowl at her own thoughtlessness when Alice slipped a container in front of her.

Bella looked over to her in surprise and opened it to find a salad with grilled chicken pieces mixed throughout.

Alice explained, "Esme was worried that you wouldn't have anything to eat. She knows how overwhelming a new bond can be and little things are easily overlooked."

Bella blushed and smiled gratefully at her. As she ate she listened to the family discuss the current gossip. It seemed as though, naturally, everyone was speculating on Bella and Jasper's sudden relationship. The rumors ranged from the mundane where Bella and Jasper just liked each other, to the wildly speculative version where they met secretly and had a torrid romance over the summer and now couldn't hide it any more. It was when Rosalie revealed the rumor that Jasper was dating Bella as a charity case to make him more appealing to Ivy League schools that he began growling.

Bella eliminated the small distance separating their bodies and nuzzled his neck, which caused a surge in conversations around them. She pressed her lips to his throat and gave little kisses to the tightened muscles. Jasper buried his head in her hair and she could feel him inhale and take in her scent. Turmoil and rage bubbled in him and she could feel his struggle through their bond. She placed her hand on the other side of his neck and continued to nuzzle him as he focused on her, using her touch to calm himself. Jasper kissed the corner of her mouth in thanks once his struggle ended.

Bella jumped a little when Emmett's loud voice broke over her. "Okay Belly Bean, let's see what trouble we can get into today."

She looked around to see that most of the other students had already vacated the cafeteria and headed to the next classes. She narrowed her eye at him in mock sternness. _"No teasing the teacher today. I already warned him that you are going to give that poor man a heart attack."_

Emmett started to pout. "Ahh, Belly Bean."

_"At least wait until tomorrow Emmett. That should give him some time to recover."_ she flashed him a grin. _"Plus you don't want to become predictable by doing something _every_ day."_

Emmett chuckled. "I think you are onto something."

They all began to walk to their classes, Rosalie and Alice branched off when their paths diverged. Each in turned waved and smiled as they walked away.

Bella sat in her chair in her Psychology class only moments before Ben approached. She looked up at him in surprise when he tapped her desk to get her attention. Bella could feel Jasper at her shoulder, wary.

"Bella, can I speak to you please?" Ben asked as he looked into her eyes.

Bella's head tilted in confusion before she nodded. Ben glanced at Jasper briefly.

"Alone?"

Bella shook her head. _"Anything you want to say you can say in front of Jasper. I have no secrets from him."_

Jasper translated her words.

Ben nodded but crouched down so he was more on level with her seated posture. "Is everything okay?"

At her confused nod he continued. "Angela and I are worried for you. This relationship is very sudden. We want to make sure that it is something that _you_want."

Bella's eyebrows shot up in surprise and then smoothed out as a feeling of warmth entered her. She began to feel a prick of tears at their concern and smiled gently at Ben. _"Please don't be worried for me. This is what I want. I never imagined someone like Jasper would want me back. Tell Angela that she was right and thank you for your concern."_

Bella reached into her bag and pulled out a piece of paper and pencil. She scribbled down her phone number and email address. _"Can you please give this to Angela for me? Tell her she can text me any time and maybe we can get together some time to talk. My email is on there too, but my computer is ancient so I don't check it very often."_

Ben folded the paper and stood and as he shoved it down into his pocket asked. "You're sure?"

Bella smiled at him again and nodded. Ben looked at her closely a moment before he nodded. "Alright then."

Instead of returning to his seat Ben looked at Jasper and scowled at him as he looked him up and down. "I've never had a problem with you Jasper so don't change that. You treat Bella right."

Bella's mouth fell open in surprise as she watched Ben turn and walk away without another look or word.

"What was that all about?" Emmett asked.

Amusement sparkled in Jasper's eyes and traveled across the bond. "It seems as though Bella has a champion."

Jasper winked at her as Emmett waggled his eyebrows.

Bella frowned at their antics. _"Stop that. He and Angela are just concerned. At least they wanted to ask instead of just speculating and gossiping."_Bella nodded toward a clump of students who were huddled together and glancing their way suspiciously.

Bella continued, _"Angela is a good person. She is the only one here I would consider to be a friend."_

Jasper pushed a lock of her hair behind her ear. _"Not the only person. You have us now."_

Bella reached out and squeezed his hand with a nod.

Emmett leaned closer to them. "Isn't Angela the preacher's daughter?"

Bella nodded in confusion.

"Well, don't preacher's daughters rebel and date bad boys? Are you sure she really cares and that she isn't just looking for information?"

Bella scowled and felt her anger rise. _"That is ridiculous Emmett. You should know better than to judge on things like who their parents are, what they look like, or where they live. That would mean that I will rebel because my father is the Chief of Police. Or that you are an idiot just because you have muscles. That's just stupid."_

Emmett looked astonished. "You don't think I'm an idiot?"

Bella gave an exasperated sigh. _"No I don't. You're just a big softy who likes to have fun. You are obviously smart enough to get away with it."_

Bella winked at him as he grinned.

Emmett looked at Jasper and gloated, "Belly Bean thinks I'm smart."

Jasper chuckled and took his seat as the teacher called the room to order. Bella waved a warning finger at Emmett, _"Remember what I said. Give the teacher a break today."_

With a mischievous grin Emmett agreed. "Of course Belly Bean. I'll leave him alone. Today."

Bella shook her head in amusement as he turned forward. Jasper reached out and stroked her arm to get her attention. _"He likes you."_

_"I like him too."_Bella responded back as the teacher began to take roll. She hurried to get her things set up before he began his lecture.

Without the distractions of Emmett's pranks the 'World of Psychology' was dry and uninteresting and Bella almost regretted her warnings. Not that she would let Emmett know that, she was sure he would be much worse if he knew she was amused by his mischievous nature.

Bella happily gave Jasper her bag at the end of class, ready for art. Not because it was art, but because it was the last class of the day. She was tired. Tired of the looks, the huddled groups, the boring lectures. She was ready to be alone with Jasper; to be able to touch him, feel him, kiss him. Bella blushed as her thoughts became lust filled.

Jasper chuckled in her ear as he eased her to the side of the hallway and pushed her flush against the wall. He began to nuzzle into her hair and nibbled her neck. Need raged through her body and she lost herself to his touch.

A chiming laughter broke through her haze. Bella blinked when the bright light of the hall flashed brightly across her eyes as Jasper moved back. She looked up to see a frown on Jasper's face. Bella turned to see Alice next to them and she jumped in surprise, not having heard her approach. Bella blushed bright at the smirk on Alice's face and she buried her face into Jasper's chest.

Bella felt a growl rumble through Jasper as he combed his hands through her hair in an attempt to calm her. When she began to feel like she had gained control she took a deep breath and nodded against Jasper's chest. Bella looked up to see that Alice had disappeared and she cocked her at Jasper in question.

"She went ahead to class."

Bella gave a small smile and pulled away so they could continue their walk to their last class.

Before she knew it they had taken up their seats and she was again between Jasper and Alice. She smiled at the dark haired girl with a little blush and Alice just grinned back at her. Jasper began to rub her leg like he had the previous day and she again focused on it and him. She was only vaguely aware of the teacher as she spouted on and on about the joys of art and how to become inspired.

Around half way through the class Bella came back to herself when Jasper squeezed her leg a bit too tightly. She looked at him in question, then turned to the teacher who was looking out the window.

The teacher swept the class with a bright smile and exclaimed. "How wonderful! It looks like we will have a sunny afternoon. Okay, let us finish up."

Jasper murmured, "Alice?"

Several moments later Alice responded. "If we leave directly after class we should be fine. But we need to take our car. We'll have to pick Bella's truck up later."

"Tell Em and Rose." he commanded.

Soft taps could be heard from under the desk as Alice informed her other siblings of the directive.

_"What's happening?"_Bella asked Jasper in small signs.

_"We need to leave for my house as soon as class is done."_Jasper answered back.

_"But why?"_

Jasper shook his head. _"I'll talk to you about it later."_

Bella nodded her agreement and looked up at the clock. Fifteen minutes. Those minutes seemed to drag by as the tension rolled off of Alice and Jasper. Bella glanced nervously between the two. As the last minute ticked by Jasper took her hand in his and Alice pulled their bags into her lap. As soon as the bell alarmed to indicate that class was done Jasper was out of his seat and she was being pulled along. Bella heard the teacher yell out for the class to enjoy the rest of the day.

The hallways were a blur as they rushed out to the parking lot. Bella looked up to see the clouds had started to thin and streaks of sunlight tried to break free to fall upon them. Rosalie and Emmett met them in the lot and had the car doors open when they got there. Bella was gently pushed into the back seat and Jasper climbed in behind her to claim the seat next to her. Alice took the seat to her other side and Bella smiled at how their arrangement was exactly the same as it had been moments earlier in Art. Rose took the driver's seat and Emmett grinned back at her from the passenger side.

Bella flashed him a smile back then clutched wildly at Jasper's leg when Rosalie squealed out of the parking spot with alarming speed.

Bella tried to keep track of the turns Rosalie took, but was soon lost to where they were. With a last shriek of tires they left the road and were winding through the forest on a narrow drive. Bella briefly saw a gorgeous house with windows everywhere. The sun had escaped the clouds and glinted off the glass.

Rosalie pulled the car into a garage and they all piled out. Bella gaped at the row of cars that filled the garage. Her eyes paused on the wall of tools and equipment and wondered who was the mechanic in the group. Before she could linger the others opened a door and revealed a living room.

Bella held onto Jasper's arm and her fingers clenched around his shirt sleeve as a rush of nervous energy went through her. What if his parents didn't like her? Would they be able to understand her? Would they think she was good enough for Jasper?

Jasper pulled her close and nuzzled her hair and whispered, "It's okay. They will love you."

She leaned against him and absorbed his love and comfort. Bella breathed in his scent and let his calm surround her frazzled mind. Emmett appeared before them and handed Jasper a piece of paper. Jasper glanced at it then turned it so she could read it. It was from Esme.

_I have gone to the store to replenish the cookie supplies. I should be back soon. Make Bella comfortable. Be good. Love, Esme_

Bella smiled at the 'Be good' line and arched her brow at Emmett.

"What?" he asked.

Bella pointed to the instructions and he huffed in annoyance.

"Why do you think that part is for me?"

Bella's brow arched higher and Emmett pouted. "I know how to be good."

Jasper chuckled and drew her away to the couch. It was a creamy white color and Bella looked at it with worry, afraid she would get it dirty. She looked down at herself to make sure she was okay to sit. With the utmost care she eased her body down on the plush couch. Emmett disappeared into another section of the house as Jasper sat next to her with no consideration.

Bella let her gaze move around the room and finally settled on Jasper's relaxed form. She smiled at him, her nervousness spiked for a moment. In an attempt to distract herself she tried to think of something to ask.

_"Why did we have to hurry from school so fast?"_Bella queried, her head tilted.

Jasper gave a sigh. _"The sun was going to come out."_

Bella's eyes widened. _"Will it hurt you?"_

Bella looked out at the sunlight that filtered through the windows and then back to Jasper. He smiled at her. _"No. That part of the mythology is not correct, but we do not go into the sunlight as it will reveal us for something unnatural."_

Bella frowned at his use of the term 'unnatural' but let it pass. _"What do you mean it will reveal you?"_

Jasper held his hand out to her and stood. _"Let me show you. It will be easier if you see."_

Bella took his hand and enjoyed the warm tingles that came with his touch. He guided her through the house out a door onto a porch. He began to unbutton his shirt and Bella's stomach clenched when she realized his intent. Jasper flashed her a smug grin and gave her a quick passionate kiss before he drew back and pulled his shirt off to reveal a white undershirt underneath. Bella felt a slight disappointment that he was still partially covered but was quickly distracted by the skin he had revealed to her.

Jasper's arms were lean and muscular. His neck and collarbone were graceful and made her want to kiss and nibble them. Jasper looked at her with concern.

_"You're beautiful."_she signed to him and his tension eased.

He stepped further into the light and Bella gasped as the sun glinted off of his skin, in much the same way it had the windows. As she watched the sun play on his skin she realized that there was a pattern. Some of his skin was a soft glow mixed with the sharp sparkle. Bella took his arm in her hands and explored the pattern. There was a series of crescent marks that wound around his arm. They were slightly raised and were uneven in their elevations. Her eyes could not create a pattern so she looked up to him in confusion.

_"What do these mean?"_

Jasper's voice was husky, "They mean that I am a dangerous man."

Bella's eyes flew to his. _"I don't understand."_

His eyes bore into hers. "They are scars Bella. They are the marks left behind by the vampires I have defeated and destroyed."

Rage overwhelmed her, a red haze took over her sight. _"Who _dared_ to hurt you?"_

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A/N: I hope it was worth the wait. Again thanks for reading. Please let me know what you think. I try to respond to all reviews. :)


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Stephenie Meyer, no infringement intended.

A/N: Thank you to all my readers! Y'all are amazing in your support. I appreciate every review, alert, and notice that I get from you guys. Special thanks to my lovely prereaders (SimarilShrugged, Untamed Loner, and Gredelina1) for helping me out and giving me special attention while my beta is busy with life stuffs. Another thanks to my twitter folks for helping me out with questions and supporting me through my writing. Thanks everyone!

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~Jasper~

"_Who _dared_ to hurt you?"_

Bella's rage flowed over him and caused his eyes to widen at the strength of her feelings. Rage, pure and undiluted. No pity, no wariness, and no fear. Fear, the emotion he had long ago linked to his scars. Everyone who looked at them felt some form of fear, even Alice. It was a natural instinctive reaction to the proof of his destructive ability. Was it because of her poor human sight that she could not understand? No, that wasn't right. The rage that pulsed through the bond showed that she understood the actions behind the scars.

She wasn't afraid.

That simple truth had him smiling, then Jasper laughed. Bella glowered at him which only made him laugh harder.

"_What is so funny?"_

"You."

Irritation started to temper the rage. _"Explain."_

Jasper suppressed a chuckle at her demand. "Of all the reactions I expected, this was not it."

Bella's head tilted. _"I don't understand."_

Good. She was back to full sentences. "You're not afraid of me."

He watched her shake her head. _"Of course I'm not afraid of you Jasper. Why would you think I would be? You're not making any sense."_

She was completely sincere and that made him relax even more. He held his hand out to her, ready to show her everything. Bella readily stepped forward and took his hand, eyebrows lifted in question.

"Let me show you what I am?" Jasper realized after he said it that it was a question. As much as he was ready for this, he was still unsure if she was. He knew what was to be said, and she didn't. It was this knowledge that had him questioning.

She nodded her assent, unable to sign since she held his hand. Jasper tugged her close and dipped down to place an arm under her knees. His hand released hers and wrapped around her back to hold her close as he scooped her up and against his chest. Jasper smiled at her little gasp of surprise.

"Ready?" he asked.

Bella nodded up at him. Jasper took his time as he walked down the steps and cast his gaze around. He noticed the others watching from the upstairs windows and he gave them a small nod of acknowledgment before he pulled Bella infinitesimally closer, then he ran.

Jasper moved swiftly through the woods, not at his fastest but quickly enough to show her the inhuman way he could move. He monitored her reactions, not wanting her to be frightened yet a small part of him continued to anticipate that exact reaction. He only felt excitement and amazement from her. He looked down to see her eyes flicking around the passing scenery in a futile attempt to take it all in.

He grinned down at her before he launched himself off a large boulder and sent them soaring through the air. He didn't even pause as his feet returned to the earth and her silent giggles bubbled to him across the bond. Jasper started to laugh as he increased his speed and sent them soaring at every opportunity. Too soon he was forced to stop as they reached a cliff edge. His chest rose and fell as he took in unnecessary breaths of excitement.

Jasper looked around at the sea of green ahead of him for only a moment before he turned his gaze down to Bella, preferring her natural beauty. He smiled at the wide grin upon her face and look of astonishment as she took in the majestic scene he had brought them to.

After a while her lips pressed together in embarrassment and she admitted, _"I'm sorry. I got lost in the view."_

Bella wiggled to get down and Jasper just grinned wider as he kept her in his arms. He chuckled when she cast a disgruntled look up at him. When her lips started to turn down in a pout Jasper gave in and let her down, but not before he stole a quick kiss. This time she was pouting for a completely different reason.

"Let's get the serious stuff over with first, then you can get as many kisses as you want." Jasper offered.

Bella gave him a wicked grin, _"Promise?"_

"Promise." he answered, his voice now husky.

Jasper gave an unnecessary cough and looked away, needing to refocus on why they were in the middle of the forest. Here he could _show_ her what he was without fear of discovery. Here was where his fate would be decided. Here was where he would admit to her what he was.

A monster.

He could only hope that she could still love him after this day was over.

He sighed and heard her take a step toward him. Jasper turned back to her and saw her look of surprise as her foot made contact with a patch of moss and she started to fall. He reached out and easily caught her. Bella smiled up at him in gratitude.

Jasper guided Bella over to a tree and gestured for her to take a seat at its base. When she was settled he stepped away from her and perched himself upon a large boulder. He looked deep into her eyes and tried to memorize the loving way she looked at him. He wanted to have this memory for later for when she no longer looked at him that way.

"I'm not human." Jasper bit back a chuckle when he saw the 'thank you Captain Obvious' look she gave him in response to his words.

"I'm fast. The speed we took to get here was only a fraction of what I'm capable of." Jasper paused to gauge her emotions and felt only curiosity and interest from her.

"I'm very strong."

Still no fear. She did not understand. Jasper flexed his hand and broke off a piece of the boulder. He held it out to her and then squeezed. The stone crumbled in his hands and fell to the earth as dust. He opened his hand again to show her the remains in his palm. Her eyes were wide. Finally she was starting to understand.

"_If you did that to coal could you make a diamond?"_ Bella asked, wonder filled the bond.

Jasper blinked at her, stunned by the question. "I've never tried. Do you want a diamond?"

Bella blushed bright at the question and Jasper's brain caught up with his mouth. He grinned wide at her embarrassed excitement. He considered pursuing the topic, but knew he needed to finish the conversation at hand before he could move on to more pleasurable topics like diamonds.

"Everything about me is strong, even my skin." he looked down at his exposed arms. "It takes a lot to scar us. Very few things are able to pierce our skin. Our venom being one."

"_Venom?"_

"Yes. I do not have blood or saliva. Everything is venom." Jasper extended his arm into the light, allowing the glow to move along his scars. "All of these are bites from other vampires. When we are fighting the venom will coat our teeth, and it allows the teeth to penetrate our hard skin."

He watched her gaze take in all of the exposed scars.

"_There are so many."_

A simple statement of fact. No fear or pity.

"Yes, and there are many, many more." Jasper felt her sadness and anger. "My early years were very different from the rest of my family. We have all had our struggles and challenges, but mine has been the most violent."

He looked directly into her eyes. "I was made for war. Groomed for destruction." A bitter smile crossed his lips. "I was _very_ good at it."

Nothing. No change. She was still gazing at him with attentive curiosity and love.

"I was born in Texas and was the youngest Major in the Confederate army. They said I had charisma and leadership skills. One night I was on my way back to camp and I came across three women. I stopped to ask them if they needed help." Jasper frowned as he tried to remember more about his last human moments.

"They spoke to me. Asked me some questions." His frown deepened into a scowl. "I don't remember everything. I just know they looked at each other and seemed to come to a decision. Then there was pain."

"_Pain?"_

Jasper nodded. "The change is very painful. The venom enters the blood and alters every cell in your body. It takes around three days, but feels infinite."

As he continued he could hear his voice become hard. "When I finally woke it was such an intense relief that it made the next wave of pain seem even worse than the change."

Bella leaned forward, her eyes wide as she hung onto his words.

"Later I discovered it was thirst, but it was like someone was stabbing a hot poker through my throat." Jasper looked away. "I killed four people before I came back to myself and realized what I was doing."

Jasper didn't want to look back, didn't want to see the disgust so he forced his eyes to stay away as he finished the brief description of his early life. "Even before my newborn year was over I had risen in the ranks of the sisters' army. They used our newborn strength and savagery to maintain and control their hunting grounds and expand their territory. With my help they had the largest territory in the Americas."

His hands dug into the rock; it cracked and shattered under his fingers. "My gift allowed me to control and manipulate the newborn army. I was able to calm them enough that they had some semblance of rational thought. It was a huge tactical advantage that the sisters took advantage of. As soon as they started to feel confident in their power they began to look at each other for who was the weakest. It was Maria who defeated her sisters. I watched her tear them apart piece by piece and laugh the whole time. She always relished in the killings."

He flicked his gaze over long enough to see that she was still seated in the same spot, but not enough to look in Bella's eyes. "Even though I could somewhat control the newborns, they were still savage. They fought all the time, and there were just as many casualties from within the ranks as from any territory battles."

Jasper began to trace the scars with his fingertips. "The strength of my gift has increased over time, but even now the closer I am the greater my ability to affect a person. Beyond that I had a sense of responsibility for them. I wanted them to stay alive as long as possible, so I would get close to gain control. Very close."

His fingers ran over a particularly long scar on his right forearm. "Not all of them are from the training. Just as many are from the battles. This one I remember well. I almost lost my hand before I was able to take him out. That never happened again."

Jasper could feel no fear or disgust from her. He had to see. He looked over and his golden gaze captured her chocolate brown. Only love and acceptance shone from her eyes. Impossible.

"How can you still look at me like that?" he asked her, confused.

Bella's head tilted to the side, her own confusion plain on her face.

Jasper explained. "You know what I am, some of what I've done. You should not be able to look at me like that knowing the things you now do."

"_How am I looking at you?"_

His voice was choked as he answered, "With acceptance. With _love_."

Jasper watched her blink in surprise and then she looked down as she twisted a lock of hair in her hands. Her brow was furrowed and he could feel through the link that she was deep in thought. Yet it was only a few breaths before she looked up again, her eyes bright with excitement and knowledge.

"_I _do_ love you."_

An unnecessary breath caught in his throat. "You do? _How?_"

Instead of answering Bella carefully got to her feet and walked to him. She took a finger and trailed the scars up his arm. She cupped the side of his face and gave him a gentle kiss. He soaked in the calm surrounding her.

Bella pulled back. _"These,"_ she gestured to his scarred body, _"are not who you are."_

Jasper started to protest but she held up her hand in a 'wait' gesture. Words died on his lips.

"_Yes, they are a part of your past, but that was the past. I do not regret what you went through and do not blame you for the hardships and challenges you had to face."_

He looked at her dumbfounded. "You don't regret that I have killed untold numbers of beings?"

He watched her hair swing around her as she shook her head. _"Jasper, the past makes us who we are. Good. Bad. Indifferent. Everything effects who we become. Your past has made you the man you are today. The man I love. If you had had a different life you would be a different man, and I might not have been able to love that man."_

Jasper could feel venom tears prick his eyes, and while he knew they would never fall their presence was enough. He gave her a shaky smile.

He needed to touch her, feel her, hold her. Show her how much she meant to him. Jasper reached for her and pulled Bella into his arms, his nose and lips pressed against her neck. He took a deep breath and took her scent deep into his lungs. He began to place soft kisses along the curve of her neck. Her hands clenched his shirt and she gasped into his hair. Jasper felt her body give a little shudder and he felt passion rise in her.

He groaned in delight and guided their bodies to the forest floor. He carefully hovered over her, not wanting to crush her with his weight. Jasper's lips claimed hers and her limbs tangled around him to pull him closer. Jasper felt her hands move over his body. One dug into his hair, while the other held his shoulder tightly.

Jasper let his tongue caress the line of her lips. They opened eagerly and he slipped in to get his first real taste of her. She was delicious. Her tongue hesitantly touched his and he pushed closer in response, wanting more. Needing more. He felt her confidence grow and her tongue rubbed his as her hands grasped him tighter.

Bella arched into him, her breasts pushed against his chest. He could feel her nipples harden against him and he groaned again, this time the pain of want mixed with the pleasure. Jasper began to pant unnecessary breaths as his hips pushed into hers in a pale imitation of what they ached to do. He could feel the heat of her sex through their clothes and he pulled his head back. He took a deep breath, nostrils flared wide to take in the heady scent of her growing arousal.

She wanted him.

Bella laid beneath him, her eyes were unfocused with the passion. She blinked a few times and he saw her senses come back to her. Her deep brown eyes watched him as she waited for his next move.

"I love you too. So much." Jasper rasped.

Bella smiled up at him. _"I know."_

Bella wiggled under him and he bit back another groan before he eased off of her and helped her to sit up.

He tried to lighten the mood a little and waggled his eyebrows at her and questioned, "How do you know?"

Jasper felt amusement travel across the bond. Her smile widened as she poked the center of his chest. _"I can feel it."_

Bella let her hand flatten against his chest over his heart. Jasper watched her eyes close, her full lashes settled on her cheeks. He put his hand over hers and pushed it tighter to his chest, like he had just the day before in the book store. He shuddered in delight when he felt her start to merge more completely with the bond in order to send him her own emotions of love, respect, and desire.

He sent her his love in response. He smiled at the joy that surged in her. He opened his eyes to see her bright smile. They sat for a few moments and just looked at each other. Jasper felt calm and at peace. It was strange feeling it come from within himself; he had felt this from the others before but this was the first time he had experienced it himself. He could get used to it.

Jasper looked over Bella's head and saw the clouds were going to return. He took her hand and guided her to the boulder he had been perched. He smirked and took the opportunity to wrap his hands around her waist to pick her up and gently place her on the top of the hard stone.

"Is there anything else you want to know? We are going to have to leave soon if we want to avoid the rain." Jasper pointed out the clouds in the distance.

Jasper watched her brows dip and eyes narrow as she examined the clouds.

"_We still have a bit of time?"_ she asked when she looked back to Jasper.

He nodded. "A little, is there something else you wanted to know?"

She bit her lower lip and he waited while she decided how to phrase her question._ "What made you stop?"_ Her hair danced as she shook her head in frustration. _"What made you decide to leave?"_

Jasper was startled. He thought back to that time near the end and tried to pinpoint the exact moment he knew he would eventually abandon the army. The memory overtook him.

_He walked down the dirt road of the now abandoned town. All the inhabitants were either dead or turned, replacements for the casualties of the last battle. They had won, of course, but at the cost of several of their stronger fighters. Maria was indifferent as always, stating that they would have been put down in a couple of months anyway seeing that they had been near the end of their newborn phase. _

_Bitch._

_His maker had never understood his stance that some of the newborns could be beneficial beyond their first year. That, like he, they were assets to their ranks and not merely fodder for the enemy. She could not be reasoned with. Even now, diminished as they were, she had given him a list of the next batch to be disposed of. She knew exactly how old each one of her creations was, even if she chose not to remember their names. Topping her list was 'blond bimbo with big boobs' and 'dirt haired smart ass'._

_Charlotte and Peter._

_Jasper had learned long ago to not get attached to the newborns, it only made Maria kill them quicker. If there was even a hint of interest from him they would be listed for destruction. Maria wanted no one to have his attention but her. Even so there was something about Peter that he connected with. Charlotte seemed nice enough but if she wasn't around Peter so often then she wouldn't even be a blip on his radar. She was an adequate fighter, but other than that Jasper knew nothing about her. _

_Jasper grunted in annoyance as he kicked away a bloated arm, the rotting flesh thudded in the dirt. The stench of death almost enough to detract from the reek of the army. The distinct odor was a clear sign to other vampires as to the army's presence and to beware. _

_He flared his nostrils as he tried to locate Peter's scent among all the others. He sneered as the scents of blood, venom, and spent lust filled his lungs. Jasper breathed again, this time he filtered out the major tones of the army and looked for the more subtle strain of Peter. He followed the scent to a barn, it was more isolated than the other buildings and offered a small bit of privacy. _

_As he approached the barn he caught Charlotte's scent as well. Jasper slowed his steps and silently opened the door. He cast his eyes around to locate the two vampires at the same time that he searched for any potential dangers. He heard some movement in the back of the building and went toward it. Jasper stopped short at what he saw._

_The two vampires were naked. Charlotte's back was pressed against the wall, her legs wrapped around Peter's hips. Peter was supporting her lower back with his own hands. _

_It wasn't the fact that they were naked that stopped him; he had seen enough naked lust and fucking through the years that it was nothing. It was the fact that they _weren't_ fucking. They were just staring into each other's eyes. _

_Jasper began to feel pulses of emotion come from them. His brow furrowed, this was a new emotion. It was much softer than the harsh edged emotions that normally surrounded him. Jasper wracked his brain for what it could be. _

_No. Impossible. It couldn't be love. He had lost track of how many years he passed since he had been turned, but in all that time he had never felt love. Jasper had decided that vampires were incapable of that emotion; that the only harsh instinctual emotions were what survived the turning. _

_He had been wrong._

_Jasper watched in awe as they kissed softly, their lips gently pressed together. Peter leaned forward and began to murmur into her ear, but it was too low for Jasper to hear what was said. Whatever it was caused Charlotte to smile softly. She ghosted her hands down his face to rest on his shoulders. _

_As if they responded to some internal cue they began to kiss with more passion. Peter pushed his hips forward and Charlotte moaned in response. Jasper turned away as their hips rolled together. He walked out the door and carefully closed it behind him, but he couldn't find it within himself to go too far. Jasper ignored the sounds and focused on the soft emotions that emanated from the barn. As he stood there Jasper realized that many there was more to this existence than what he was doing. _

_Maybe he was more. _

Jasper blinked as he came back to himself. Bella's eyes were wide as they looked deep into his.

"_Did they die?"_ she asked.

He tilted his head in confusion.

"_Peter and Charlotte, did they die?"_ she clarified.

Jasper realized he must have described his memory as he had been lost in it. "No. I warned them and they managed to escape."

He smiled at the thought of his oldest friends. "They came back for me and told me about everything they had seen outside the army and got me out too."

Bella smiled happily at him. _"Can I meet them sometime?"_

Jasper shrugged, "Maybe someday."

"_Are they mates? Like we are?"_

He nodded. "Yes, they were the first pair I encountered. I've met many since then, but Peter and Charlotte have a very deep connection."

Bella was about to ask another question but a rumble of thunder interrupted her. They looked over to see that the clouds had slipped in and surrounded them while he had been lost in memory. Jasper pulled her off the boulder as a soft rain began to fall. He smiled down at her as he easily picked her up.

"Ready to go back?" he asked softly.

She nodded. _"Let's go home."_

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A/N: Thanks for reading! As always, I respond to all reviews so give me a shout it you want to.


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. I am just playing with them.

A/N: So sorry for the delay. I would like to say that I am officially done with school. *happy dance* So I will now have more free time, which will equal more writing time. :D

Thanks to Simaril and Untamed Loner for prereading this for me and helping me fix my little whoops.

Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed this story, your support is wonderful.

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Previously:

_Jasper blinked as he came back to himself. Bella's eyes were wide as they looked deep into his. _

"Did they die?" _she asked._

_He tilted his head in confusion._

"Peter and Charlotte, did they die?" _she clarified._

_Jasper realized he must have described his memory as he had been lost in it. "No. I warned them and they managed to escape."_

_He smiled at the thought of his oldest friends. "They came back for me and told me about everything they had seen outside the army and got me out too."_

_Bella smiled happily at him. _"Can I meet them sometime?"

_Jasper shrugged, "Maybe someday."_

"Are they mates? Like we are?"

_He nodded. "Yes, they were the first pair I encountered. I've met many since then, but Peter and Charlotte have a very deep connection."_

_Bella was about to ask another question but a rumble of thunder interrupted her. They looked over to see that the clouds had slipped in and surrounded them while he had been lost in memory. Jasper pulled her off the boulder as a soft rain began to fall. He smiled down at her as he easily picked her up. _

"_Ready to go back?" he asked softly._

_She nodded. _"Let's go home."

~Bella~

Bella's silent laughter split her face into a wide grin as she clung to Jasper. Her wet hair dangled in her face and tickled her cheeks. Jasper pulled her tighter to him and she watched the scenery blur by as they leapt into the air once again. With a feeling of amusement and regret she saw the house in the distance. Two breaths later she was being set on her feet at the back door.

Little gasps of air escaped her as she looked up at Jasper. He grinned widely down at her.

"Ready to meet Esme?"

Bella's eyes widened. _"She's here?"_

At Jasper's nod she began to push her hands through her hair in a vain attempt to tame the wild mess it had become. Her hands then pulled at her sodden clothes in a vain attempt to remove the wrinkles that had formed while she had been pressed tightly to Jasper on the run back.

Bella's eyes shot up to Jasper's when he grasped her hands tightly in his and made them stop their frantic motions. His eyes were dark with now familiar lust and his voice was husky once more, "If you do not stop that darlin' we won't be meeting anyone. I'll sneak you off to my room for some more alone time."

Embarrassment and need raced through her and she looked down, only to finally notice that her hard nipples where prominently on display through her shirt. Bella peeked up to Jasper and spied a small smirk at the corner of his lips.

Suddenly confident she arched a brow and asked _"Help me change into something dry?"_

She smiled at the low growl that began to emanate from deep within him and started to move closer when the door opened in a swift motion. In the blink of an eye Jasper had turned his back to her and his body blocked her from sight. His growl had lost its sexy edge and instead was dangerous and filled with menace.

Alice's bell tone voice filled the air. "Calm down Jasper. I just came to get Bella; if you take her then we won't see you again for _hours_."

Desire filled her. Hours. She could only imagine the things they could do.

Jasper gave her a slow wink and flashed her a grin which she returned. She started to reach for him, determined to see those hours happen when Alice took her hand and pulled her toward the door. Bella looked back at Jasper with a pout and he just smiled and signed, _"Later."_

A wicked grin moved across her lips as she gave him a wink of her own. Alice laughed in front of her and pulled harder which forced Bella to look ahead to prevent herself from tripping.

Alice paused in the living room and looked her over, a calculating look in her eye. "My clothes won't work, you have more curves than me. Rose is too tall; her clothes won't fit right. It'll have to be Esme's."

Bella felt her eyes widen and her gaze flicked around.

Alice frowned. "It's okay. Esme won't mind."

Concerned she signed, _"Are you sure?"_

"Esme?" Alice called out.

"That's fine dear. Go clean up and get dry," came a new voice from the direction of the kitchen.

Automatically Bella shifted so Alice was between her and the voice. Distress filled her. Esme couldn't see her like this. What a horrible first impression. How could she ever make them think she was worthy of Jasper if all they saw was a bedraggled human.

Bella could feel Jasper's concern and growing anxiety at her fluctuating emotions. She took a deep breath and tried to calm down. She turned to him and saw him by the door. She wondered how she had known his location without thinking. His frown called to her and she went to him, her hands wrapped around his waist and she rested her head on his chest. Bella smiled when his arms pulled her closer and her hair was pushed back by his nuzzling lips.

Alice gave a not so subtle cough and they reluctantly pulled away from each other. Bella tilted her head up and Jasper gave her a little kiss before he said, "You can use my bathroom to shower and clean up. Alice will get some clothes for you."

Bella nodded as he led her up a set of stairs and down a hall. He opened a door to show what was more a library with a bed than a bedroom. Eyes wide she looked around. She turned when he chuckled, eyebrows lifted in question.

"Now you see why I took you to a bookstore for our first date."

Bella grinned back at him and when she started to move toward the shelves he stopped her. She frowned at him and he responded with an amused smile.

"Shower."

Bella flushed as she remembered. Jasper gathered her close again. "None of that. Never be embarrassed about your love of something. You feel so deeply, so fully; it is a wonderful thing."

His lips moved across her neck. His teeth grazed her skin. Hot, desperate need flooded her. Her fingers tangled in his hair to hold him close.

Abruptly he pulled back. Bella looked up at him, confused by his sudden move. She watched him tilt his head back and take long breaths. She pushed her confusion and curiosity to him across the bond; she didn't want to pull herself away from him enough to sign.

A few breaths later he turned his onyx gaze on her. "We need to stop before I lose control."

Bella eased back only far enough to have the space to sign, _"You would never hurt me."_

"Not intentionally."

She leaned into his hand as it came up to push a lock of her hair behind her ear.

"I want you so much. Every moment we are together the need to claim you gets more intense."

Bella frowned at the sad tone. _"Then claim me."_

Jasper's groan echoed throughout the room. His lips claimed hers in a deeply passionate kiss that ended too soon. With wide eyes she watched him stiffly pull back from her. "Shower. Go. Alice will be back with your clothes soon."

Alice. Bella had completely forgotten her. Forgotten _everything_ except Jasper. With a sigh she accepted that he was right. Now was not the time for claiming. But soon. Soon they would get those hours to themselves.

Bella nodded and slipped away to enter the bathroom. She stopped abruptly to take it the sight before her. It was gorgeous. White tile floors, granite counters, a claw foot tub, and a _huge_ shower that was surrounded by glass. Bella couldn't remember ever showering in anything that didn't require her to step into a tub first, and this thing could easily hold four people.

Jasper nudged her forward enough to slip by her. "Esme went a little overboard. She was looking at one of her magazines and I said I liked one of the pictures. Next thing I know she had blueprints out and was discussing color schemes."

"_It's beautiful."_ she signed, still trying to take it all in.

"You should tell Esme. She will be so happy you like it."

Jasper led her across the room and opened cabinet and pulled out several towels. He placed them on the counter by the sink. Bella looked at herself in the long mirror and gasped. She looked hideous. Her hair was sticking out in every direction and bits of dirt, leaves and other debris clung to her.

"You're beautiful Bella." Jasper's smooth voice reassured her.

She whirled to look at him, eyes wide in disbelief.

Jasper smiled at her and she calmed when he smoothed down a lock of her hair. "It's true. You look wild and untamed. It calls to the instinctual part of me."

She cocked an eyebrow at him, but believed his words. She shook her head in wonder and he chuckled.

When he continued to stand in front of her she smiled and said, _"Jasper, if I'm going to take my shower you need to leave. Undressing in front of you will just get us in trouble."_

Jasper's burst of laughter filled the room. "True. I just don't want to leave yet, but I will if I have to."

He gave her a quick kiss and walked to the door. He paused and turned to look back. Bella tilted her head in question.

He gave her a smirk and wink then asked, "Sure you don't need help?"

Bella filled with silent laughter as she gave him a shooing gesture. His chuckles faded as he closed the door behind him.

Bella took her time and enjoyed the shower to its fullest. Once she finally felt clean, she stood under the water and allowed it to relax her muscles. Only when she felt like she was going to melt down the drain did she turn off the water and step out of the shower. She carefully walked over to the sink, and pulled a towel around her. She leaned forward and wiped away the fog from the mirror to get a look at herself. Much better, but she still needed to brush her hair.

Not sure if she should look through the drawers she hesitated, and then decided to wait. She could ask him after she was dressed. Yes, she was his mate but they hadn't talked about these kinds of things. Would he care if she looked around at his stuff? Could she use his belongings without asking? Was anything off limits? She was pretty confident he wouldn't mind, but she wanted to be sure before she invaded his private space.

She understood about the need to keep things separate and safe. Some things you just want to keep for yourself, without fear of judgment or critique. Yet, as much as she liked her privacy she did not want to keep Jasper from any of it. He was a part of her. To keep him away would be to keep a part of herself segregated from the rest. She wanted him to see all of her, to complete her life and participate in every aspect of it.

Bella shook her head as she came back to herself. Goosebumps traveled up her arms and she knew it was long past time to get dressed. She walked back into the room to see several outfits had been laid on the bed. She paused and selected the blue v-neck sweater and some cream colored pants. They were dressier than anything she had at home, but they looked comfortable.

She picked up the clothes and moved them to the end of the bed. As soon as she dropped the towel there was brief knock on the door and it opened.

Jasper stepped through the doorway and in an automatic gesture pushed it closed behind him. He held a brush in his hand. "Alice said you wanted..."

His voice trailed off as his eyes roamed over her exposed skin. Suddenly he was next to her, his hands dug into her hair and pulled her close. Bella gasped as his clothes rubbed against her naked body, the sensations erotic and addicting.

"Darlin', you are so fucking beautiful." his husky voice said into her neck as he nuzzled and nipped her. His hands traveled down her body. One pressed against her lower back, the other took her thigh and lifted it.

Her leg wrapped around his hip, opening her to him. He pressed closer to her and she could feel his hard desire against her core. Longing filled her. She arched into him, her body needing something. A moment of confusion flitted through her mind. What was it she needed? Her body answered the question. Him. Jasper. Her mate. Her body wanted to fulfill their bond. _Needed_ to make them one.

"Fuck, Bella. I need you to help me stop. This isn't how it should be. I want our first time to be special." He gasped out even as his hips continued to thrust against her.

Bella battled with her body, trying to gain control. Finally with Herculean effort she unwrapped her leg from him and stumbled back. She dropped to her knees and grabbed the towel with shaking hands. She pulled it in front of her, a thin inadequate barrier against her own desires. Their breaths were the only sounds in the room.

He fell to his knees beside her and she looked up to see misery on his face and instant before it seared across the bond. The towel forgotten she let if fall to crawl to him. Her hands reached for him, held onto the sides of his neck. Her thumbs caressed his cheeks. He closed his eyes to her, anguish still beating at her.

She shook him a little, tightening her grip on him in a silent plea.

He slowly opened his eyes and she looked up into his black gaze. "I'm sorry."

Bella frowned in confusion and pushed the emotion at him.

He let his head fall onto her shoulder. "I lost control. I couldn't stop on my own."

Another wave of agony hit her. "I'm so sorry Bella. So sorry."

Anger flashed through her once she understood. She backed up a bit and he looked at her as if he was waiting for an executioner. Acceptance and defeat filled him.

"_Stop this right now."_

Confusion.

"_Did I ask you to stop?"_

"No, but..."

She interrupted him. _"Did you hurt me?"_

His gaze roamed over her, darkening slightly as he again took in her nakedness. "No."

"_Am I mad?"_

"Yes." came his immediate response.

She frowned but then acknowledged the truthfulness of that. _"Okay, yes I am; but not because of what happened. We _both_ had a hand in that. I want you. _Desperately._ I didn't want to stop either. Do not take the blame for losing control. I wouldn't have stopped if you hadn't asked."_

She paused to collect her thoughts. _"Jasper. I love you. Everything we do is special. I don't need candlelight dinners, or fancy gifts. I need you. Just you."_

Jasper's eyes slowly returned to a dark caramel. He reached for her and she went back into his embrace. "Thank you."

Bella smiled into his chest and nodded her acknowledgment of the words. After a few moments she felt him retreat. He retrieved the towel from the floor and swiftly covered her before he helped her stand.

"I will be out in the hall when you are ready."

Then he was gone.

She dressed quickly and took the forgotten brush off the floor to run it through her hair a few times before she rushed out the door. His turmoil still sat on the edges of the bond. She reached for him, pushed her hands against his chest and flooded the bond with her emotions. Love, acceptance, desire, lust, longing, need, calm, joy, and the sense of belonging that only happened when she was with him.

His guilt and self-loathing disappeared completely under the onslaught of her emotions.

"I love you."

A simple declaration that was everything.

She responded in kind, _"I love you too."_

Their lips met in a gentle kiss, happiness rebounded between the two of them.

Emmett's voice came up the stairwell. "Hurry up! I want to spend some time with Belly Bean too before she has to go."

Jasper gave an exaggerated sigh, but grinned down at her. "Let's go."

She smiled back and let him lead her down the stairs. They passed Emmett in the living room. He winked at her before he returned to his video game.

Jasper led her into the kitchen. A lovely brunette stood there, waiting patiently. The dim light flashed off red highlights in her hair. Jasper tucked her into his side. "Bella, this is Esme. Esme, meet my mate, Isabella Swan."

A wide smile broke across the pale face and she stretched her arms out. Bella looked up at Jasper and he nodded encouragement. She went over and gave the matriarch a hug, and smiled when she felt the sincerity in the embrace.

Esme released her. "So, you're here to show me how to make a proper cookie. Shall we?"

Bella flushed in a mixture of pleasure and nervousness. Jasper came over and gave her a kiss on the cheek and whispered in her ear. "Everything will be okay."

For the next two hours Bella worked with Esme and showed her how she made cookies. Of course she gave the disclaimer that she had no formal training, and that everyone was probably just being nice. Esme just smiled at her and began to ask her questions about wet to dry ratios, and how stiff the dough should be.

Bella was so caught up with the baking she almost forgot Jasper was hovering on the edges, ready to interpret anything that Esme didn't understand. It turned out she had done a crash course in sign language to prepare for this lesson. The forethought had made her smile and tugged at her heart. Only Angela had taken the time in the past to specifically learn to sign for her. That the matriarch of this family wanted to talk to her so much she had learned meant a lot to Bella. She disregarded the fact that she had learned in a few hours what it would have taken a human months to do; it was the thought and desire for communication that made her warm to Esme. Her own mother had only learned reluctantly for image purposes, and not for the communication.

"Well look at this!" came a new voice from the kitchen entrance.

Bella whirled toward the sound in surprise. The cookie she just begun to remove from the baking sheet flew off the spatula and smashed into the shoulder of the tall blond man who stood there. He was impeccably dressed and Bella felt heat coming off her face as she gaped at the cookie bits that now littered his shirt.

A soft giggle escaped Esme and Bella looked over to see her holding her hands in front of her face. The posture hid her mouth, but a bright twinkle sparkled in her eyes. Bella's head bounced back and forth between Esme and the blond vampire she had still not been introduced to, but must be Carlise. The patriarch. The man her mate considered a father figure.

And she had just attacked him with a cookie.

Okay, maybe not intentionally, but the cookie had been flung by her. Her nervousness increased as no words were said.

Strong arms gently pulled her back until she was pressed against Jasper. He nuzzled her neck and chuckled into her hair. "It's okay darlin'. He deserved it anyways."

Carlisle frowned at them. "Why would that be?"

"For startling her. You knew Bella was here; you should have made some more noise." Jasper chastised from behind her.

Carlisle's frown melted away. "You are right son. I sincerely apologize Bella, please forgive me."

Still nervous, Bella gave a small smile and said, _"Of course."_

Silence filled the air and she started to pull on her hair, unsure of what to do. Jasper distracted her with another nuzzle.

"Calm down darlin'. It is only Carlisle."

Yeah right. _Only_ Carlisle. Only the man that Jasper had described with such admiration. Only the man that could hold the answers to all her questions, if only he was willing to share the knowledge. Would he tell her everything, even if he didn't like her? Would he help more if he did?

Jasper spun her around and placed his hands on either side of her neck. He tilted her head back until her eyes met his. She got lost in the amber gaze and stepped closer to take the now familiar place against him, hands on his chest. She focused on him and pushed everything else back; no Carlisle, no Esme, no cookies, no kitchen. Just Jasper. Her Jasper. Her mate.

On the edges of her awareness she could feel the bond pulsing; expanding to surround them. The force of their connection started to glow, again showing itself as a silver cord that wrapped itself around them. She let her eyes move to her hands, and watched it swirl around her fingers and wrists. It started to drift across their bodies when Emmett's loud shout of outrage bellowed through the kitchen.

"Did you start a food fight without me? Belly Bean, that's not fair."

Bella was disoriented and blinked several times before Emmett's pout came into focus. As soon as his features sharpened into recognizable lines he was hit with a puff of flour. Shock crossed his face and he turned toward the attacker with slow menace. Esme, hands hidden behind her, burst into laughter and ran away, flour dust falling to the floor in her wake.

In an explosion of motion Emmett grabbed the bag of flour off the counter and raced after her. Jasper and Carlisle burst into laughter. Bella smiled and leaned back against Jasper. She tilted her head back and accepted the soft kiss he placed on her cheek.

"Your cookies really are dangerous." Jasper teased her.

Bella's silent laughter filled her and she escaped his arms to run across the room. She grabbed the other bag of flour from the counter and pushed her hand deep inside.

"Now darlin'. Think about this a minute before you act."

Bella smiled wide and pulled her hand out of the bag. She gave him a slow mischievous wink, then threw the flour at him. Her aim was off, but she still managed to hit him across the shoulder. He looked down at the evidence of her attack before he started to crouch down in an attack stance.

"I warned you."

Amusement flashed across the bond.

She watched him closely. Waiting. She eased her feet back, widening the distance between them. Satisfaction rushed at her through their bond a heartbeat before he pounced.

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A/N: Thanks again for reading. Like always if you review I will respond. Feel free to let me know what you think.


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. No infringement intended. I'm just playing.

A/N: Huge thanks to all my readers. Your support and reviews humble me. Special thanks to Frankielynn R and wistfulgypsy01 for reading this on the fly.

Simaril and Untamed Loner are my rocks. They let me bounce all my troubles off them, you both are making me a better writer and for that I am greatful.

I want to dedicate this chapter to CentauRita. She has been waiting a long time for this one and has been fantastic to talk to in between chapters. She has been a wonderful motivation and inspiration.

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~Carlisle~

Carlisle smiled widely as he watched Jasper pounce on Bella and begin to tickle her mercilessly. Her face was scrunched up as she curled into a ball, a futile attempt to escape Jasper's fingers as they wiggled across her ribs. When she began to bat at him as her next attempt to get him to stop, Carlisle shook his head. His eyes roamed over the couple, so lost in each other they had forgotten him.

He loved it.

Finally, Jasper had begun to let down his guard. Carlisle could only hope that this would be the first of many such moments. Jasper deserved the peace of unguarded moments, of not having to worry or fear for his surroundings. Here, in this house, he was safe. Let him return to his vigilance outside this place, but they all needed a safe haven. Carlisle had worked hard to make this house that place for every one of their family members. Now, perhaps Jasper would have his sanctuary.

Carlisle moved away from the playful couple and escaped out of the kitchen. He could hear Esme's laughter and Emmett's taunts out in the forest. It seemed not only Jasper had been affected by the new addition to the family. It was wonderful to see Esme's playful side come out. Well, it came out all the time in their bedroom, but she always held back when they were around others. It was due to how she was raised, going from a strict family to an abusive husband had not allowed her to be carefree in any way.

He remembered the first time he saw her, that fateful day in the hospital.

"_I'm heading home to get a few hours of sleep," Carlisle told his colleagues as he feigned a weary walk._

_George looked at him and gave him a sympathetic smile. "Alright, but be back here by six. You know how annoyed Dr. Walters gets if we are late for rounds."_

_He nodded, giving a small wave as he rounded the corner. As soon as he was down the hall and out of sight, his step lightened and he sped up to a fast human pace. His feet automatically took the path to the morgue, as his mind started to run through the new suturing technique he had been shown earlier in the day. This was a perfect time to go; the morgue was short staffed and no one was scheduled that afternoon. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on the perspective, this left many bodies abandoned in the morgue for cataloging at a later time. Carlisle had decided to use them as subjects to improve his skills and increase his knowledge. Their deaths could help another._

_As he entered the morgue he allowed his supernatural senses to take over. He listened intently to ensure that he was alone. He was about to conclude that he was indeed the only person around when suddenly he heard a low thump. His body stilled and became frozen. He waited. One breath. Two. Thump. One breath. Two. Thump. It was slow and faint, but the distinctive slosh told him that somewhere in this morgue a heart beat._

_He tilted his head and focused on the sound. His feet traveled forward and moved toward the sound. He stopped before a sheet covered body in the corner of the morgue. A quick glance at the tag showed him that this was the body of Esme Sullivan, age 23, female, victim of a high fall that resulted in fatal injuries._

_Carlisle pulled the sheet back and revealed a deathly pale body. She had brown hair, but there so much blood and dirt in it he couldn't tell if the red he saw was natural or a stain from the blood. So much blood. Whoever had brought her down here hadn't even tried to clean her up. Maybe if they had they would have noticed the slow hesitant breaths she took. Her lungs wheezed and crackled as they fought to give her blood oxygen__._

_He continued to look her over. Whoever this woman was she had been badly abused in her life. Rage assaulted him as he took in bruises of all sizes covering her body. They were at different stages of healing; some freshly blue and others faded out to hideous shades of greens and yellow. Blood was splattered all over her body, presumably from the fall, but amongst the ragged tears were clean cuts that only a knife could make. A red haze started to take over his vision, but when he saw the blood on her thighs venom pooled in his mouth and a need to kill took over. His mind began to calculate how to discover the person responsible for her injuries when her hand twitched. The rage faded as he took it in his own._

"_Esme?" he asked, using the name from the tag. "Can you hear me?"_

_Her eyes flickered open and pain filled gray met his dark golden eyes. Her lips tried to smile, but grimaced in pain._

"_Angel, have you come to take me away?" Her voice rasped so low it was hard for even him to hear._

"_Esme, do you want to live?" he asked to his own surprise._

_Where was this coming from? Why was he even considering changing her? He already had Edward for companionship, what else could he need? To condemn another to this life of lonely immortality was cruel._

_Even knowing this he asked again, "Esme, do you want to live?"_

_Her eyes tried to fill with tears, but there wasn't enough left in her to spare the fluid; everything was being pushed to the heart to keep it beating._

"_Don't make me go back. Please, no__," she begged him with her voice and eyes._

"_With me," Carlisle clarified. "Do you want to live with me? Stay with me. Be by my side always."_

_As those last statements came out he realized they weren't questions but his own appeal to her. She wanted to go, but something in him needed her to stay._

"_Please. Stay," he continued to beg. For once he wasn't going to think too much__, just go by instinct. He fought his nature at every turn, but this was something he would not, no, could not resist. He knew that if he let her die his life would be irrevocably changed for the worse. He did not know this woman, but already she had made a huge impact on his life. She could not leave him now__._

"_For you. Stay." Her eyes widened as she started to choke a little._

"_Esme?" Carlisle said louder as he started to panic, forgetting all his medical knowledge as the reality of the dire situation hit him._

"_Yes," she wheezed. "Stay. With you."_

_Her hand tightened on his in a fierce show of strength he had not thought her body capable of._

_His mind raced as he debated the pros and cons of where and when to turn her. He feared that she could not hold on much longer, but he did not want her to start the burn here. The pain would draw cries even in her weakened state._

_Carlisle leaned down to put his lips near her ear. "I need to cover you with the sheet for a while so we can get out of the hospital, but I will be with you the whole time."_

_She gave a weak nod and he reluctantly covered her, instantly making her seem like the corpse she had been mistaken for. He carefully guided the stretcher to the rarely used exit and eased it out into the fresh air. Dusk was upon them and he did not fear the sun's light as he took note of the vacant lot the hospital backed up to._

_Carlisle pulled the sheet back down to expose her pale face and wide eyes. Her gaze quickly roved over him as if to reassure herself that he was still there._

"_I'm here," he soothed. "I need to pick you up now. It will hurt, but we need to be elsewhere."_

_Another weak nod told him she understood. As gently as possible he tucked the sheet around her and gathered her up against his chest. Her face pulled into a grimace and her jaw tightened against a cry of pain._

"_I apologize for causing you pain. I will make the run as smooth as possible."_

"_Run?" she asked weakly._

_Instead of wasting the time to explain, he showed her. He took the fastest, yet most discreet, route to the house he and Edward currently occupied. As he neared the house he mentally called out to Edward. He saw the boy's face appear in the window and nod as he gave him a quick synopsis of the events. Edward opened the door as he neared and followed behind him as he took Esme into his bedroom. While he had no need of sleep, he enjoyed the comfort of reclining against the mass of pillows while he read. Edward pulled the sheet off the bed, the various books and medical journals that had been scattered on top of it fell to the floor unnoticed by all._

_Carlisle laid the woman down on the bed and assessed her. She remained in the same condition: pale, heart sluggish, chest barely moving as she struggled to breathe. He needed to turn her now. If her heart stopped there would be no change. Her heart had to keep beating__._

"_Esme," he called to her._

_Her eyelids fluttered open._

"_Esme. I need to bite you. You will change and become like me. A vampire."_

_Her eyes widened slightly._

"_We," he gestured to include Edward in the conversation, "drink from animals. No humans die to satisfy our hunger. If you do not want this now is the time to say."_

"_Stay. With you," she responded weakly._

_His eyes briefly shut in gratitude before concern and fear came over him. "The change is very painful. It usually lasts three days."_

_A weak nod showed her understanding._

_Still he hesitated, not wanting to cause her pain. "Are you ready?"_

_Another nod._

_With a sigh he leaned forward and placed his lips against her throat. He concentrated and located the carotid artery; he wanted to use a large artery close to the heart first. This one was the easiest to access. He would move onto her other points next._

_Venom coated his teeth and he bit, flesh melted away under the acidic nature of the venom. A flash of blood entered his mouth, and he injected his venom into the wound. His vampiric brain calculated the needed volume in her weakened state, and when he determined that enough venom had been given at this location he moved on._

_Carlisle moved down to her legs and began to ease her skirt up when he saw Edward shift in his peripheral vision. To his surprise, a harsh growl rippled out of him. Edward; his companion, the boy he shared his life with, did not flinch. He cocked his head a little, and Carlisle knew he was listening to the chaotic thoughts running through his head. Carlisle did not want Edward to see Esme's legs, or any other intimate part of her. She was his, for his eyes alone__._

_Edward gave a sad smile. "I will go fetch some water and towels so you can wash her later."_

_Relieved that Edward understood Carlisle mentally thanked him and turned back to the woman on his bed. He worked quickly and bit her at several more points where the artery ran close to the skin._

_He was saddened at how different this turning was from Edward's. He had never intended on turning another, so when he made the choice to change Edward he was more brutal than necessary. Edward did not blame him, and they actually had had several conversations on the best methods or techniques that would cause the least damage, but have the fastest conversion. At the time Carlisle had never intended on turning another human, but now he was glad that he and Edward had had those talks. Maybe Esme would not suffer as much. She had suffered enough, already. Yet even as he thought those words she began to scream._

Carlisle sat at his desk as he remembered. Esme's change had been easier than Edward's, so he had been successful in that, at least. Upon her wakening the pull toward Esme had been even stronger. His time around mated couples in the past had given him the knowledge, but the experience of the bond had been another thing entirely. His instincts, which he had spent so long to suppress, clawed their way to the forefront. It had overwhelmed him for a while, but by the time Esme had gained control of herself so had he. It had been somewhat of a relief to know he could walk down the street with her, and resist the desperate urge to take her into an alley and fuck her senseless. They gave into the urge as frequently as they resisted, but it was the ability to resist if necessary that gave him the confidence to move them to a more populated area.

Carlisle's mind returned to the present fully when Esme bounced into his study, flour dust wafted in the air behind her. She smiled brightly at him. Her smile then turned wicked as she revealed two flour coated hands. He laughed as she smeared it down his face and chest. He took a page from Jasper's book and pounced on her. His hands tickled her ribs and she unsuccessfully fought against him. He chuckled at how similar this image was to what he had seen earlier in the kitchen.

"Okay. You. Win," she gasped out amid her bursts of laughter.

He grinned in victory and gave his own bark of laughter before he bent down to softly kiss her. She rubbed the flour off of his face and kissed him again. Heavy footsteps fell across the study floor to let him know that Emmett had joined them. He looked up and choked on an unnecessary breath as he took in the flour doused form. There were more white patches on him than clean. His hair was very Edwardesque and pointed in several directions at once.

"Your wife cheats." He pouted.

Esme hopped to her feet and Carlisle frowned at the loss of her body next to his.

"You are just mad because I won," she gloated.

"You can't win if you cheated. It goes against the rules." He continued to pout.

"What rules?"

"The rules of fairness. No cheating!" he argued

"All's fair in love and war," she taunted back.

"What war?" Emmett demanded.

"You declared war in the forest. Your own fault if you can't step up and handle it," Esme teased him.

"Carlisle?" Emmett turned to him.

Carlisle shrugged, unwilling to get caught in the middle of it. Emmett gave them both a deep scowl before he stalked away, but when he reached the door he looked back and gave a quick wink to let Carlisle know he was fine. He would probably try to use it against Esme later, but Esme would gloat about this for a while to come. It wasn't often that Emmett lost at anything, so when one of them did win they tended to remind him about it for a while.

Carlisle chuckled deeply when he heard Emmett shout, "Yo, Jasper, you better get in there and have your talk before they start to get frisky."

A few minutes later Jasper pulled a blushing Bella into the study, her hand clasped tightly in his. Her hair was a little wild and her lips were fuller than they had been earlier in the kitchen. It seemed that he and Esme were not the only ones in danger of getting frisky.

"I'll leave you to it dear," Esme told him as she glided out of the room. "I'm going to start on dinner."

She smiled kindly down at Bella and gave Jasper's cheek a peck before she disappeared out the door.

Jasper gently pulled Bella forward and sat in the larger armchair in front of the desk. Bella face turned a deeper red when Jasper tugged her onto his lap. She turned until Carlisle could only see her back, but the movement of her arms told him she was talking to Jasper. He continued their conversation in the same silent way and the amused yet sincere look on his face told Carlisle that he was reassuring her that her position on his lap was acceptable.

Carlisle discreetly watched them and realized the subtle differences in Jasper were even more pronounced here than in the kitchen. He was completely relaxed. Jasper had calmed over the years, but never to this point. There was always a wall of some kind up, an awareness of the surroundings. In this moment it was gone. Jasper was so focused on his human mate that his emotions were radiating off him. He was not projecting. No, it was his body language that gave him away. The downward slope of his shoulders that showed the lack of tension, the small upward tilt of his lips, the tiny wrinkles at the corner of his eyes as they laughed at Bella.

Carlisle mulled over his discovery when Jasper looked around the small girl and asked, "You will not be offended if Bella remains in my lap, will you?"

He bit back a chuckle. "Of course not. I would not expect anything less in a newly mated couple. It is very difficult to refrain from close physical contact, especially in the safety of one's own home."

Bella turned back to him, her uncertainty clear on her face.

"I will not think less of you, my dear. You are my new daughter, so there are no formalities between us." He tried to reassure her where Jasper had clearly not been successful.

She gave a small nod and leaned back, but her frame was still stiff. Jasper brought her even closer to his body with a small movement and nuzzled her neck. The gesture worked and her body relaxed against his.

"Where shall we begin?" Carlisle asked, to allow them to dictate the direction of the conversation.

Jasper looked thoughtful as he considered what question to ask first. Bella had no such hesitation and asked,_ "The bond seems very strong. It is a bit overwhelming at times. Is that normal?"_

Jasper had watched her hands from over her shoulder and translated for her before he looked up to give him his full attention; clearly he wanted to know the answer as well.

"The bonding is often overwhelming to those who are unprepared for it." He saw the question on their faces, and before they could ask, he continued. "Mated couples who live amongst others often warn their single companions what to expect should they come across their mates. For example, Rose knew about the mating pull so when she came across Emmett she realized what was happening and why she was so compelled to save him. I was able to tell her this because I too met Esme while she was human and had told her of my experiences and desires to save her life without realizing the reasons. I was slightly unprepared for the pull since I had not heard of a vampire and human mating. The bond strengthened after Esme's turning and it was then that I realized what the pull had been."

Jasper and Bella shared a look but did not comment on its meaning. Instead Bella asked a different question._ "Who told you about mating?"_

Carlisle looked at Jasper, who knew the answer. When the other male gave a minute declination of his head Carlisle answered.

"I learned about it from the Volturi. They are the leaders of our kind. Our kings, if you must give them a title. They maintain the laws and keep the peace. All of our kings are, or have been, mated. There are also several mated pairs in the guard. I spent many years with them and mating was just one of the many topics we discussed."

Bella's head turned back and forth between the two males, a frown marred her face. She looked angry when she accused, _"What aren't you telling me?"_

Carlisle tried to plead ignorance. "What do you mean?"

"_I saw the look you just gave Jasper. There is something you are leaving out. Something important."_

Jasper sighed and rubbed his cheek on her shoulder, but she ignored him and just continued to stare at him. Her body had gone tense again and she leaned forward while she waited, as if getting closer would allow her to pull it out of him quicker.

Carlisle smiled ruefully and he wondered if she always had this much spunk, or if this was part of the bond's influence on her. Mated couples tended to have a small blending of personalities. If this was her normal behavior he couldn't wait to see what Jasper's darker side brought out in her.

Carlisle returned to the conversation when he said, "One of the laws of our kind is to keep our existence a secret. The fact that you know about us is, in essence, breaking the law."

She looked back to Jasper, concern clear on her face._ "What does __this mean?"_

"For you, nothing. You are Jasper's mate, so the likelihood of retaliation is negligible. If they even found out about you they would mostly likely just demand that you be turned immediately. It is a greater possibility that they will not know of you until after you are already turned," Carlisle answered honestly.

He watched her eyes widen and he replayed his words in his head. He had spoken of her turning as if it was a forgone conclusion, but to his mind it was. What mate would want to watch their other half grow old and die? What mate would want to spend the rest of eternity alone, haunted by the memories of their brief time together? It would be torture. Carlisle had watched Marcus live every day in agony, his strong familial bond to the other two kings the only thing that kept him from begging for destruction.

Carlisle watched in amazement as she turned and looked at Jasper. No words were spoken between the two of them, yet he was sure they were communicating somehow. Their faces altered as their silent conversation progressed. It ended when Bella tucked her head into Jasper's neck and he embraced her, his own face buried in her long hair.

Silent minutes passed and Carlisle waited patiently. Suddenly Bella sat up abruptly, her eyes narrowed.

"_You said 'for me'. That it would be safe for me. What about anyone else?"_

Carlisle considered the question and again answered honestly. "They would be killed. Our existence can not be known to humanity. Any who had this knowledge would be quickly taken care of."

Horror crossed her face and tears began to fill her eyes. Jasper turned her to him.

"Talk to me darlin'," he pleaded.

Carlisle was frustrated when Bella silently answered and Jasper did not translate. He needed to learn sign language now and only had a shallow regret that he had had to work the previous night when Esme had had her first lesson. Tonight he decided he would have his first lesson. A small part of his brain registered Alice's gleeful giggle, but the rest remained focused on the pair before him.

Jasper pulled her head down to his shoulder and ran his cheek along her temple. A rich, deep rumble filled the room.

Jasper was purring.

He was trying to comfort and calm his mate. The purr was an instinctual response to a mate's strong emotions. It was brought on by many situations. It could be used to calm fear or in the other extreme to incite passion. In this case it was clearly the former scenario that motivated Jasper.

Jasper's voice was sharp when he demanded, "Her father. What will happen to Bella's father?"

Understanding came to Carlisle. "He will be fine. No one will touch him as long as he does not know what we are. However, this means that after the turning she can no longer have contact with him. The changes will be too noticeable, and the risk too great. It would be dangerous, for Charlie, if you tried to see him again."

Bella's tears fell as the information took hold. _ "How long?"_

Carlisle sighed, unsatisfied that he could not give a complete answer to this one. "It is hard to say. The first year is the most dangerous for the newborn vampire. We will try to keep you away from all humans during this time. However, you are already bonded so that should make the length of time for you to get control, less. For example, Esme and Emmett had significantly less trouble transitioning and gaining control compared to Edward and Rose. I believe this is due to the fact that they were already bonded and could focus on that to help them gain control."

Carlisle leaned forward, excited to discuss the variables of the topic. "Esme took ten and Emmett nine months to gain control of their new natures. I think Emmett benefited from being the youngest, and therefore the family had a better idea of how to handle the transition."

Carlisle ignored Emmett's snort and subsequent comment. "Just admit I'm that cool, Carlisle."

"Rose had what we would consider a normal transition time at roughly a year," Carlisle concluded.

When he did not continue Jasper raised an eyebrow and asked casually, "How long did it take Edward?"

Carlisle sighed in response. "Edward took the longest at sixteen months."

Jasper looked smug and Carlisle began to defend his oldest child. "Edward also had to gain control of his gift. The nature of his gift made the transition more difficult for him."

A round of snorts came from throughout the house and caused Carlisle to frown slightly.

Bella shook her head._ "That's not what I meant. How long do I have? How long until I have to give up my father?"_

Carlisle noted that it was only her father she mentioned, but filed the information away for future consideration. "There is no rush. It is unlikely the Volturi will even be aware of your existence. I would not worry about it. You and Jasper can make the decision for when you want to be turned based on other factors. School for example; I'm sure you want to finish high school, and I'm sure Charlie would love to see you graduate. You can even go to college. Go anywhere you want. I am more than happy to pay for your education."

He paused when Bella stiffened and he watched Jasper murmur in her ear. She looked back at Jasper and nodded before she relaxed back against him again.

"What other questions do you have?" Carlisle asked after a moment.

A flash of interest crossed Bella's face as she leaned forward in a show of excitement. _"What does your bond with Esme look like?"_

"Excuse me?"

"_Your bond with Esme. What does it look like?" _Bella repeated. _"Ours is a beautiful glowing silver, and sometimes there are little flashes and __sparkles that run through it. Does that mean anything?"_

Carlisle stared at her in stunned silence. "You can see the bond?"

Bella nodded with enthusiasm that faltered as she realized his surprise. With a bit of hesitation in her gestures, she asked, _"Can't you?"_

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A/N: Thanks to to everyone for reading. Feel free to let me know what you think. I respond to all reviews. :) _  
_


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. No infringement intended.

A/N: Finally another chapter! Had a bit of a block for a while with this one, but finally my muse took pity on me.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to read, review, and alert my story. I am so happy that everyone seems to be enjoying it. Huge thanks to the people who took the time to preread this chapter: Simaril, UntamedLoner, Cairadawn. Double huge thanks to my beta HammerHips for getting the chance to look this over.

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~Jasper~

Bella could see the bond. Their bond. She could actually _see_ it.

Carlisle coughed unnecessarily, a blatant stall while he collected his thoughts. "No, Bella, I can't see my bond with Esme. I'm sorry. I can't tell you what the colors mean."

Bella's disappointment flowed around Jasper for a moment before she turned to him with a spark of hope. _"You can see it too, can't you?"_

Her brows dropped and she became sad. _"Never mind. I can feel that you can't."_

Jasper tilted his head and she explained.

"_I can feel you more and more. I felt your hesitance, your reluctance to disappoint me. That would only mean that you do not see the the bond." _

She turned away from him, a darkness began to bubble in her. Deep introspection and something close to loathing tried to claw its way up.

Unease, sharp and intense, spiked in Jasper and demanded that he resolve the issue.

"Bella." His tone was harsher than intended and she whipped her head back toward him in response. He took a breath in an attempt to calm himself. "Bella," he began again, "please stop. I am sorry I can't see our bond. I..." He stopped, unsure of how to make her stop loathing him, to make her return to the soft love that was there before.

He watched her eyes fill with tears. Again with tears, how many tears would this beautiful girl cry over him? How much pain would he inflict on her life?

"_What's wrong with me?"_

Aching pain echoed across the bond to him at her question.

"Nothing darlin'."

"_Then why can I see things that no one else can see? Why can Edward not hear me when he can hear everyone else? What is wrong with me that I am so defective in everything?"_

Sudden realization hit him. She didn't loathe him. It was self-loathing she was feeling.

Unacceptable.

Jasper picked her up and turned her completely until she straddled his lap. This position ensured that Carlisle would not see his signs. Even though he knew Carlisle did not yet know the silent language, Jasper did not want him to remember them later during his lesson and be able to know what was said.

Jasper ignored the pleasure he felt as she wiggled into a more comfortable position.

"_Bella, there's _nothing_ wrong with you."_

Her quick breaths filled the room. _"Yes there is."_

Jasper gave her a little shake to force her eyes to meet his. _"No. There is not. You are special, that is all."_

Her mouth began to create a sneer and a dark growl escaped him. The sneer quickly disappeared.

"_All this means is that you will be like me. Gifted. The fact that you are manifesting your gift now, as a human, shows that you will be incredibly strong once you are turned. I am proud of that, and you. That whatever higher power exists has deemed me worthy of someone as incredible as you humbles me."_

He felt her contemplation. He reached into himself and pulled on the bond.

"_I might not be able to see the bond like you, but I can feel it. I feel it like I have felt no other emotion. I can feel how we are tied together and how it has grown and strengthened even in the short time we have been together."_

He concentrated on the bond and felt it anchored around his dead heart, now filled and pulsing with love for Bella.

"_Here."_ He placed a hand on his chest._ "I feel it here."_

He closed his eyes and tested the bond. His hands reached out to ghost along where he sensed the edges of the bond. _"I can feel it traveling between us." _

He opened his eyes to see her wide brown ones following the area his hands had just been. Her eyes turned to him.

"_You're right," _She showed him the path in a swirl of fingers. Her lips curled in a smile and amazement filled her.

His head tilted to the side in inquiry.

"_The shimmer shifted when I passed my hands through it. Like dust motes do when they move in the air current."_

He watched her for a few moments as she fixated on their bond like a cat with a new toy. She was completely and utterly focused on it.

He smiled down at her and brushed his hands through her hair to gain her attention. "A_lright kitten, done having fun?" _

She blushed lightly and nodded before she gave him a small smile, her emotions calm now. She jumped and curled into his arms when there was a loud squeak behind her. Jasper scowled at Carlisle, who broadcasted apology.

"It seems I've been scaring you a lot today. I apologize, again." He held up a journal. "I was going to look at this article I've been meaning to read while I waited."

Jasper chuckled a little and told Bella, "Carlisle is a workaholic."

Carlisle shrugged, knowing it was true. "Perhaps, but I just want to make the most of my existence. Why wait til tomorrow what could be done today?"

"Yet you waited to read that article. How contradictory of you, Carlisle." Jasper teased him.

The older vampire gave a rueful grin. "It seems every time I go to get it out of the drawer, Esme comes in to get me for something. The squeak gives it away."

"_Why don't you move it to another drawer then?"_ Bella asked.

Jasper knew the answer and waited to see how Carlisle would respond after he translated.

"They all squeak," Carlisle admitted.

Amusement came at Jasper from throughout the house. It seemed that even though the others were not actively participating in the conversation, they were definitely paying attention.

This was confirmed when Emmett commented, "I use it as an early warning sign for when they start to get freaky. If the desk is a squeaking don't go a peaking."

A slap soon followed the comment, and a yelp of pain erupted from the behemoth of a vampire. "Ouch! Fuck Rose, that hurts."

Another slap.

"Language, Emmett."

Carlisle shook his head and continued, "It's her way of knowing when I'm getting started with something new. If she thinks I've spent too much time in here it is her cue to come and get me and rescue me from my inquisitive nature."

Carlisle's smile, along with the outpouring of love and respect, told Jasper what he already knew; that Carlisle depended on Esme to balance him and prevent him from inverting into himself.

Jasper returned to the previous conversation. "I believe that Bella's ability to see our bond is a sign that Bella is gifted, and that it will only grow into a more powerful gift once she is turned."

Carlisle leaned forward,"I agree. A gift that shows while the person is still human is extremely rare. I'm excited to see how her gift progresses."

Carlisle's emotions started to become introspective.

Jasper heard Bella's stomach start to gurgle and shared a look with Carlisle. The older man smiled in understanding.

"We can continue this discussion another day. I believe your dinner is just about ready. Why don't you go get something to eat?" Carlisle offered.

Bella turned to Jasper in question.

"Let's go see what Esme made," he said while he stood and lifted her into his arms. A mixture of pleasure, amusement, and the smallest amount of embarrassment suffused the bond. She curved her body further into him as he started to walk and the pleasure increased.

Esme stood poised by the kitchen counter, the picture of eager anticipation. The counter had a large selection of foods spread across it.

"I wasn't sure what you were in the mood for, so I made a bit of everything," Esme offered as an explanation.

Bella wiggled a bit, her signal to be let down, and reluctantly he let her feet hit the floor. She gave him a knowing look and leaned up for a quick kiss before she turned her back to him and took a closer look at the selection.

Jasper grabbed a plate and handed it to his mate. "Take whatever you want, but don't feel like you have to eat it all."

Relief floated off of her.

"Whatever you don't eat I'll run over to fire house. Those boys never eat right," Esme told Bella.

Jasper watched as Bella chose small portions off of every dish that Esme had made. She was such a kindhearted little thing. Even knowing that she wasn't obligated to eat all the food, she still made the effort to try them. Esme exuded extreme pleasure and maternal love as she watched Bella circle the counter.

When Bella had settled at the table, Alice approached him. "How's it going?"

Jasper looked down at her. "Did you know what was going to happen when you told me she needed the brush?"

Alice snorted. "_This_ is why I don't talk about my visions. I knew she was going to ask for a brush when she came downstairs. _You_ altered the outcome by deciding to get the brush before she asked. It is true, in general, that the closer we are in the timeline to the vision the higher the chance it is accurate. I could tell you what would happen in two minutes and the chances are small that it would change, compared to something set to happen two years from now. There are many decisions that can be made in those years that could alter the course of events. Yet even in the two minute vision a decision can be made that could change it all. The future is constantly in motion Jasper. I do not know the outcome to everything."

Jasper grunted. He knew all this. They'd had this conversation many times over the years, hence her annoyance at having to say it again. He would gladly go over the same information a million times if it involved his mate; nothing was too small a detail. He knew the incident upstairs hadn't hurt their budding relationship, in fact the opposite was true, and it had only served to bring them closer.

Emmett bounded over to her, puppy dog eyes in full force. "Come on, BellyBean. Don't you want to play a little before you have to go home?"

Jasper watched Bella play games with Emmett for the next two hours. He felt no jealousy. He immersed himself in her and absorbed as many details as he could.

She stuck her tongue out when she concentrated, usually to the left. She leaned forward during intense moments. Her shoulders slumped when defeated. He grinned when she turned the puppy dog eyes back on Emmett until he let her amp up her fighter to give her a more competitive edge. Throughout it all he watched how _she_ watched Emmett. Analyzed him.

"Darlin'," he called out to her.

She executed the finishing blow to Emmett's wails of protest and turned to him.

"It's getting late. I need to get you home soon if I'm going to keep in your father's good graces."

Her face fell into lines of surprise as she looked at the clock and scrambled to her feet. Everyone reappeared to say their goodbyes. Emmett with threats of revenge and a parting wink. Rose gave a wave and smile, her feelings full of wistfulness. Alice gave promises of a soon-to-be sleepover. Esme pulled Bella into a gentle hug and caressed her hair. Carlisle gave her a kind smile and assured her that she was welcome back any time.

They held hands on the drive back to her house. He pulled into the driveway and turned the car off. Bella didn't move and instead remained seated.

"Darlin'?"

She turned to him, a sheen of tears in her eyes. _"I don't want you to leave, and that is so stupid. Why do I feel like this? It's too soon for all of this, isn't it? It's so intense. I know that as soon as you are gone it'll be like there is a hole inside me."_

She had her fist clenched to her chest as she took some deep breaths. Her emotions boiled inside of her and he knew she was fighting to control them.

"I know it's intense." He continued even though she tried to gesture her protest. "I'm not patronizing you. I feel it too. I want to be near you always. I'm tempted to sneak into your room just to be close to you, but that would be a blatant disrespect to you and your father. We'll find a way to work it out. Maybe it'll lessen with time, or we will adjust to it. We'll just have to wait and see."

He pulled her close and nuzzled her neck. She took deep breaths, and he knew that his scent was helping to calm her. He wasn't even sure if she was aware of the instinctual way she was responding to the bond. He feared that her human body would not be able to stand the intensity of it for as long as he would like. He wanted her to be his forever, but he didn't want to deny her the opportunity to remain human for a while if that was what she wanted. So many things would be lost to her once she turned, if she wanted to experience them he would do his best to see that it happened.

Jasper heard Chief Swan approach the front door of the house.

"Darlin', I need to take you to the front door. Your father's waiting for us," he coaxed her.

She nodded against his shoulder and leaned back to unbuckle herself. He guided her to the door and smiled when he heard her father grunt in approval and walk away.

Her hand reached out toward the door, and he took it and held it to his face. He placed kisses in the palm and felt comforted when her thumb started to caress his cheek. She leaned her body into his, and he took a deep breath to savor her scent while it surrounded him. Her anxiety began to abate and that allowed his own emotions to settle.

"Text me if you need to talk to me. Anytime. Any reason." His eyes captured hers. Tears were filling in the deep chocolate gaze again.

Breath stuttered into her lungs. His hands caressed her hair, the smooth stands slid between his fingers and curled around his wrists.

"I won't leave until you are ready. Okay?"

After a few more moments she nodded. _"Okay. Go now while I still can let you go."_

He pulled her in for a last embrace and she clung to him. He tilted her chin up and captured her lips in a quick passionate kiss before he rested his forehead on hers.

"I love you." The words came out harsh with emotion.

She gave a soft smile in response. _"I love you too. Now go."_

He watched her open the door and step inside, but then she turned toward him. Her eyes followed him as he returned to his truck and stepped up into the cab. She gave him a little wave when he turned the engine on and put the truck in reverse.

Sadness filled the bond. He suffused his side with love and longing, and her eyes returned to his. He felt her push her own love through the bond back to him. Her smile was brighter when she finally shut the door and hid her from his sight.

Jasper let his thoughts wander as he drove back to his home. Soon he was surrounded by the grinning faces of his family.

"What?"

"Jasper and Bella sittin' in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G," Emmett started to sing in a high falsetto.

Rose was too busy giggling to slap him, and even Esme's reproach lacked strength. Jasper gave a false grumble, but his own lips curled upward.

He turned to Carlisle, unconcerned with the audience, and asked. "Do you think this is safe for her? I worry that the intensity of the bond will be too much. It was very hard on her to part with me. Will this get easier, or will it become a problem if the bond continues to strengthen?"

Carlisle considered the question before he answered, "This is something we'll have to closely monitor. It's very rare for a vampire to find a human mate, despite the proclivity of our family to happen upon them. Yet even within our own experiences the mate did not stay human for even a day. I don't want to alert any others to Bella's presence, so am reluctant to ask for advice on the subject. Though I do recommend going to Marcus once she is turned. If her ability to see your bond becomes a full gift then he's the best person I know to help her adjust to it. Perhaps it would do him some good too," Carlisle mused the last part to himself.

Jasper growled low at the idea of subjecting his mate to the kings' scrutiny. Carlisle held up his hands in a gesture meant to pacify.

"We can go to him if, and only if, that is what Bella wants. I won't bring our family to their attention before it is necessary. I know Aro's covetous gaze would linger on several of our family members," His gaze flicked over to Alice and the silent piano in the corner of the room. "And while I admire our sovereign I wouldn't want to enlighten them on our family's specialties."

Jasper rose an eyebrow at the patriarch. "As if they don't already know?"

Carlisle nodded solemnly. "Rumor and tales are one thing. Hard proof is another. They won't move against me unless they have good reason, and yes, Aro's greed is a good enough reason for them. Let us not tempt him into trying to claim her for his guard."

Jasper growled low, a dark edge echoing off the white walls. _Never._ Never would he be subject to another again. This was his life, his chance, his mate. King or no king, no one touched what was his. Touch her, and he would tear them all apart.

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A/N: Thank you for reading! I'm always so happy to hear what you think and will respond to any reviews. I'm going to make huge efforts to get the next one out quicker.


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. No infringement intended.

A/N: Big thanks to my prereaders for helping me out. Huge shoutout to my wonderful Beta HammerHips who is helping to keep me in line and make this the best story it can be.

Thanks to everyone who is taking the time to read this story. Every alert and review makes me smile. I am constantly amazed by the response I am getting.

On with the story!

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~Bella~

Over the next few weeks Bella developed a routine. She would be picked up for school by Jasper, with or without some of his siblings. During lunch she would alter her table selection and companions based on mood, assignments, or sunlight. After school they would go to either her house or his, depending on whether or not Charlie had to work late. If Charlie was late she stayed with the Cullens and ate there. If Charlie worked the morning shift Bella made sure she was home and made them dinner; they would sit and talk about their day as they ate her home-cooked meals.

Bella answered the knock on the door and smiled up at Jasper who reached out for her bookbag. She had stopped her protests after the first week. She handed it over without a fight and followed him out to the car. It looked like today Alice would be driving.

Bella slid into the back seat and leaned heavily against Jasper when he pulled her against him.

"What's wrong, kitten?"

Bella smiled slightly over the new nickname. Jasper had told her she was like a kitten with their bond; she seemed to constantly knead and play with it, and was easily distracted when it caught her eye.

She shook her head and tried to deny that anything was bothering her. She should have known better.

"Bella, please."

She tucked her head into his shoulder, but allowed her hands to respond. _"Charlie has to work Friday night. One of the deputies had a family emergency and he has to take over the night shifts until he can get back."_

"What's Friday? Why does it matter that he has to work?" Jasper prodded gently.

Bella could feel the heat radiate off her cheeks. She should have told him by now. She didn't know why she had hesitated or put it off. _"It's my birthday."_

Bella felt Jasper jerk back, surprise colored the emotions that flowed to her through the bond.

"Your birthday?"

The car swerved a bit and Bella clutched at Jasper as fear and adrenaline surged through her. He wrapped her in his embrace and yelled at Alice to watch the road.

Alice glared at him in the rear view mirror and stuck out her tongue before she met Bella's eyes in the reflection and questioned her. "What do you mean your birthday? Are you trying to tell us that your birthday is _this_ Friday and you didn't even mention it? Bella, how could you?"

Bella turned back into Jasper's shoulder, no longer wanting to meet the reproachful gaze.

"Kitten, why?"

Bella just shook her head as feelings of regret and embarrassment bubbled up. _"It's not a big deal. Everyone has birthdays__. Nothing special."_

"Of course it is special, Bella! We must have a party." Alice declared.

Bella's head shot up. _"No, we don't."_

She looked at Jasper, entreating him with her eyes. _"Please Jasper, no parties."_

Jasper nodded without question. "Of course kitten, whatever you want."

"But Jasper..." Alice began to whine.

"She said no." Jasper chastised her, his voice firm.

"Fine." Alice pouted.

Relief filled Bella as she leaned back into Jasper. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the feel of his fingers as they combed through her hair. He had just begun to nuzzle her neck when the car stopped.

"Okay you two, we're here. You need to stop that before some clothes get lost." Alice's voice called back to them.

Bella was happy to hear that Alice's voice had returned to her normal chipper tone, but blushed brightly at the implications. She could not deny that she and Jasper had become more intimate; while he had yet to fully claim her, they had not stopped themselves from beginning to explore that side of their relationship.

The fire of her blush turned into a fire within her as she thought about some of those moments. Lust echoed back from Jasper and she looked up into his darkened eyes with a sheepish grin. She pushed apology to him and he reciprocated with calm, a silent sign that no apology was needed.

He took her hand and guided her out of the car, intertwining their fingers before he lead her into the building to start their day.

Lunch came quickly and Bella settled herself across from Angela in the corner table. Jasper handed her a plastic container and gave her cheek a kiss before he walked toward his family. They had found several reasons for why Jasper didn't "eat" his lunch with Bella when she had company. Angela was very perceptive and would have noticed that he never actually consumed food and surely she would have commented on it. He usually just sat with his family, or went to the library to "look up information" for their history project. Today he sat with his family and hunched over the table; from his darkening mood she knew they were upset. Bella sighed, knowing the cause.

Angela looked back and forth between her and the whispered conversation at the other table. "What's wrong? Did you and Jasper have a fight?"

Bella pursed her lips together briefly before raising an eyebrow. Angela chuckled and held her hands up in a pacifying gesture. "Sorry. I should have known better. I haven't seen any two people as compatible as you two are."

Bella felt a surge of amusement from Jasper and bit her lip to fight a wide grin.

"_I don't know about that."_ Bella signed and gave a pointed look toward Ben, who was winding his way through the tables.

Angela blushed and started to fan herself as she giggled. She scooted her chair closer to Bella and waved toward Bella's bag, a signal to bring out the netbook. Bella grinned a little wickedly and quickly it brought out and opened up a word document.

Angela pulled it toward her and typed quickly, her eyes glanced up several time to track Ben's progress.

He told me he loved me.

Bella inhaled sharply, wide grin flowing across her mouth. She tried to get it under control when Angela gave her a sharp elbow to the rib.

_WHEN?_

Yesterday. We went out for a picnic and he was all nervous and sweating. He didn't look at me most of lunch. I thought he was going to break up with me. 

When Angela paused Bella waved her on impatiently.

He just blurted it out during dessert. I almost spit my food all over him. He was so sweet. He had this whole speech planned out, but it came out in a huge jumble.

Angela sighed dreamily.

_So what did you say?_

Another blush from Angela.

That I loved him too.

Bella smiled warmly at her, so happy for her friend. She said so on the computer screen.

Angela grinned madly; she looked at Ben, who had stopped to talk to Mike and Tyler, before she scooted even closer. Their shoulders brushed when Angela typed.

We slept together.

Before Bella could even process that more words appeared on the screen.

Or rather, we made love. After the picnic we went back to my house. Kissing led to petting and so on. I didn't want to stop.

Curiosity overcame Bella.

_What was it like?_

A silly grin and soft glow overtook her friend.

It was perfect.

Angela giggled and Bella looked at her in amusement. This was a side of her friend that Bella had never seen before, and she was happy that Angela was willing to share it with her.

Okay, it was awkward and clumsy at first, but once it happened.

She sighed again.

It was as if our bodies took over. I was completely lost in him, and him in me. Afterward I cried because I was so happy and loved him even more. 

He just held me and told me how wonderful and beautiful I was, even though my eyes were puffy and my nose was running. He kissed me and I swear I think he teared up too. 

Grins flashed between the two girls.

He'd never admit it though.

A spark of mischievousness twinkled in Angela's eye.

Her fingers flashed and all the words disappeared as Ben finally arrived at the table. "Sorry ladies. Here you go Bella."

She took the offered bottle of water with a smile.

The conversation turned to more mundane things, but Bella watched the subtle difference in her two friends. Now that she knew, she could pick up the subtle change in their movements. They leaned closer more often. Angela would relax into him as soon as his arm wrapped around her. Their hands lingered when they touched, as if reluctant to part.

She looked over at Jasper, who immediately turned toward her, and sent him her love. He smiled at her and reciprocated. When she turned back to her table companions she found them both looking at her with amusement.

"_What?"_

"I saw that." Angela winked at her.

Bella blushed and took a bite of her lunch to occupy her hands. Angela continued, "So if you and Jasper aren't fighting then what is going on over there?"

Bella glanced over to see Alice pouting and Rose frowning at the little pixie.

Bella continued the conversation on the netbook. Angela and Ben's grasp of sign language had increased, but not so much that they could have an entire conversation with ease.

_Alice is upset with me because I won't let her give me a birthday party. _

"It's your birthday?" Surprise colored Angela's voice.

Bella felt intrigue coming from Jasper, who could easily hear whatever they said.

_Friday. Charlie has to go to work and I told them today. Alice immediately started to talk about a party. That's just not me._

"Bella, what's the big deal about a party?" asked Ben, sincerely curious.

Bella shrugged. _I'm not used to people wanting to celebrate my birthday. I wouldn't even know what to do at a party. Let alone one dedicated to me. It would be a disaster._

"You worry too much. What do you think it would be like? Huge cake and decorations and buffet? Who would do all that?"

Emmett barked a laugh and Jasper's amusement increased.

"Bella, you should do _something_ for your birthday. That's the whole point of birthdays. Enjoy it. Plus this will be your first birthday with Jasper. I'm sure he wants to do something special for you." Angela's fingers tangled with Ben's.

Bella blinked in surprise. She glanced over to Jasper and he gave a small nod. She looked down, suddenly unsure. To her, birthdays were just another day. The only thing she looked forward to was the card Charlie sent every year. She had been so excited to spend this birthday with Charlie, that once he had told her he had to work she had just given up on having _any_ birthday plans. Parties terrified her. Any party; and one dedicated solely to her would be torture. People looking at her. Watching her. Judging her.

She felt distress, curiosity and love from Jasper. She shook her head to dispel the bad thoughts. Ben misunderstood the motion.

"I'm sure he wants to do something, Bella. Take it from a guy. A birthday is a prime opportunity to show your girl how much she means to you." A bright smile lit his face as he looked down at Angela.

She mulled the idea over in her head. Spending time with Jasper would be wonderful; it always was. She knew he wouldn't let Alice go overboard with any plans. He had already supported her decision to not do a party. Maybe...maybe they could do something else. Alice gave a little squeal of excitement, no doubt picking up on her fluctuating decision. Bella couldn't help but smile at the sound.

"Think about it?" Angela asked before she stood.

Bella nodded agreement as she collected her things. Once everything was put away she held her bag out, knowing Jasper waited next to her now. They lingered while the majority of the populous exited the cafeteria. He brushed her hair behind her ears, his fingers tangled in the strands.

"Do only what you want to, Bella. Not what others want you to do." His amber gaze locked onto hers as he spoke those words.

"_I don't want a party,__ Jasper."_ she responded.

Pride and disappointment mingled in him.

"_But I do want to spend time with you."_

His grin was blinding. He pulled her close and nuzzled her neck. Bella sucked in air when he started to nip and lick his way up her neck toward her ear. She unconsciously tilted her head, exposing more skin to his exploring lips.

"Yo! BellyBean. Jasper. Hurry up or we are going to be late for Psych. Got plenty of time for necking later." came Emmett's booming voice from the doorway.

Jasper groaned and rested his head on her shoulder, deep breaths expanded his chest as he attempted to push back the lust she felt pour through the bond. Bella tried to calm her own passion and soothed herself, and him, by caressing his back and shoulders.

Jasper shifted back, but not before he stole another quick kiss. She placed her hand on his heart, again telling him she loved him as she pushed the emotion his way. His returning love made her smile, like always, as he intertwined their fingers and guided her toward the cafeteria door.

Psychology passed in a blur. Bella only vaguely paid attention as she considered the options and variables for her birthday. She wasn't concerned though, since she knew Jasper would catch her up on any of the lecture she had missed later; and if she had any questions she knew Carlisle would be more than happy to discuss it with her.

Alice waited eagerly for her in the art room. She bounced up as soon as she saw Bella and bit her lip, a clear sign she was trying to not blurt out a dozen questions. Bella was distracted by the dark growl from Jasper, so low that she only knew of its existence from the tremor that ran through her fingers and the menace that colored his bond.

Bella took a quick glance to confirm that Edward's face was downcast and his posture set in a submissive stance. Well, as submissive as one can get in a classroom populated by human teenagers. It had been the same every time she and Jasper encountered him since his return from Alaska. Edward was not allowed within a ten foot radius of her at any time, and even so she always had at least one family member by her side when he was within sight. Jasper was taking no chances, and Bella felt cherished and protected by that. If she was honest with herself, Edward scared her. His eyes that day, the deadly intent in them. She shivered at the memory.

Jasper's arm pulled her closer and his head ducked. His hair brushed her cheek as his growl turned into a rumbling purr of comfort. "I will always protect you. No one will ever hurt you while I exist. _Never_."

She inhaled deeply, taking his scent in. He rubbed his head across her shoulder and hair. His arms brushed up and down her body. Bella smiled, as amusement filled her.

He was scenting her. Again.

This too had become a common occurrence since Edward's return. Jasper was driven to keep his scent upon her at all times. This claim helped to protect her from Edward, as Jasper's scent would help cover her own, as well as be a reminder of who she was and the consequences of any action toward her.

At the same time Bella knew that Jasper loved her covered in his scent, that it spoke to the deep male part of him. She could feel wisps of satisfaction from him whenever the breeze would waft his way and he would inhale their combined smell coming off her.

"What's so funny?" he murmured to her.

"_You're scenting me again."_

"So I am." he said, unapologetic.

Alice, impatient, appeared by their sides. Her eyes were round and hopeful. Bella gave her a mock scowl. _"No party."_

Alice's face fell, but she didn't protest.

"_But I will come over for dinner."_ Bella shared.

A wide grin spread over Alice's face, and she glowed. When she started to clap Bella held up her hands.

"_Nothing special. No cake, no decorations, no big to do."_

"No cake?" Alice sputtered.

You would think she could eat it the way she pouted. Bella shook her head. _"No. I'm the only one who will be eating. Why do I need a big cake?__ It would go bad."_

A spark entered the pixie's eye. "Maybe a little one then? Just enough for you, and maybe Charlie too."

Bella considered the idea and then nodded her agreement.

Jasper rested his head on her shoulder, his body curled around hers and pulled her back against his chest as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "You forgot the most important part Bella."

She turned her head to the side to look up at him questioningly.

"The presents. Are you going to allow us to get you anything?"

Alice's mouth dropped open. Her expression was shocked, as if the idea that Bella might restrict presents had never crossed her mind. Bella's could tell her own face was set in surprise as, like Alice, she had not considered the idea of presents.

She turned her back to Alice so she could look at Jasper completely. She watched his calm face as he simply waited for her answer. No pushing. No leading.

She fell in love with him even more.

Her hands began to tug on a lock of her hair as she mulled over the possibilities. An idea came to her and she smiled, a bit wickedly. She looked up at him and nodded.

"_On one condition."_

"That being?"

"_A__ny present I get I have to be able to use with the giver. So Alice can't get me clothes, since we can't share; __but she could get me a book and we could read it together. Make sense?"_

Jasper laughed, causing some of the students to look their way.

"Trust you to find a way to get out of simply receiving a present. Fine. Your condition is accepted. This means no protesting when it is time to get your gifts."

Bella frowned at the finger he waved at her, a failed attempt to seem upset. She gave up and teasingly nipped at the air in front of his hand.

"_Watch where you put that thing. I might bite you."_

Jasper chuckled darkly as he gathered her to him and whispered in a husky voice, "Kitten, you can bite me anywhere, any time."

Lust and need rushed through her as he began a deep rumbling purr. The very core of her vibrated with him and she buried her face in his chest to hide the red flush. Her hands clenched tightly in his shirt as she pulled him ever closer. It wasn't enough. She needed more. His hands began to wander downward. Yes. Go down. Farther. More.

"Jasper." Alice's voice was sharp.

The purr turned to a menacing growl.

"Oh stop it. Remember you are in the middle of class, and the teacher just walked in. Get it together."

Bella could feel his breaths upon her cheek as he tried to calm down. She stayed close to him and hid his erection from the view of the rest of the class. He maneuvered her carefully to their seats. His need still evident to her, but masked from the others.

Bella tangled her fingers with his, and turned her attention to the teacher.

The week flew by and her birthday arrived. Bella stood in her room, unsure of what to pack. Alice, somehow, had convinced her father that it was a perfect idea for her to spend the night at the Cullens house. So here she was, trying to figure out what was appropriate to take to a vampire sleep over. Did they even have sleep clothes over there? She had never seen them in anything but regular clothes. But she was human, and she did sleep.

Panic, sharp and cold stabbed at her. What kind of sleep clothes should she take? The large tshirt? The cute cami and shorts? Nothing?

The passing thought of wearing nothing to bed turned her from cold to hot in an instant. She tried to shake the images from her mind. Panic set in again.

She fumbled in her pocket and pulled out her phone. A quick text of help was sent to Alice, who patiently waited downstairs.

One. Two. Three.

Alice appeared by her side. "Having trouble?"

Wide eyed, Bella nodded. _"What should I bring to sleep in?"_

Alice's tinkling laughter filled the room. "Whatever you want, Bella. Everything is set up so that you will be comfortable tonight. I promise there are no huge surprises. It will be just like any other day when you come over to hang out, only you won't be going home until tomorrow."

This would be the first time Jasper would be around when she slept, so the large shirt was definitely out. She wanted to be cute for him. Maybe a little sexy even, though she was clueless as to how to even be sexy. Maybe she should ask Rose, that woman was sex on two legs.

Bella rummaged through her drawers, cursing her lack of organization, and dug out a red camisole and sleep shorts. After a moments hesitation she also grabbed some matching pants, unsure if her confidence would hold out enough for her to wear the shorts initially. It didn't make sense, Jasper had seen all of her, several times in fact and much to both of their pleasure, but now she was hesitating. As if wearing the shorts was like she was flaunting herself at him.

They were already fighting so hard to not claim each other. She too was feeling the pull and need to put her mark on him. Yet the timing had never been right. There was _always_ someone around. Just as they would get to a good part something would happen to interrupt, or make them very aware of the others in the area. To say the least, it killed the romance.

Now that her final selections had been made Bella followed Alice out of the house and gave Jasper a small smile as he stood up from where he had sat on the porch steps. She felt a blush cross her cheeks and she pushed her hair back in an unconscious fidget.

Jasper nuzzled her neck and calmed her with a low purr. She relaxed into him. A soft kiss brushed her jaw and she was guided into the car.

Alice took her bags as they entered the house. "I'll go put these up for you. Why don't you go tell Esme what you want for dinner. She wanted to let you have the final say so."

Bella nodded and signed her thanks as she walked toward the kitchen, the one place Esme seemed always be found this time of day.

Esme gave her a warm smile when their eyes met. "Okay dear. Here is a list of options for this evening. You just circle what you want and I'll make sure you get it."

Tears of happiness filled her eyes as she looked over the selections. Esme had picked all of her favorites. Her chest tightened as she fought the tears.

Esme started to make noises of distress. "Oh dear, what's wrong?"

Bella flung herself into the matriarch's arms and hugged her tight. She could feel Jasper hovering in the doorway, but ignored him and allowed the older woman to comfort her. It felt so nice to have a mother to comfort her. She had never realized how much she wanted this moment until it happened.

Esme murmured nonsense words, the tone more significant than anything. Concern. Love.

Bella pulled back and wiped the tears from her face. _"I'm sorry. I was just so happy."_

Esme's face transformed from one of worry to one of joy in an instant. Esme gathered her into her arms again, this time with a slight bounce of happiness instead of the sway of comfort. Amusement filled Bella as she compared the motion to Alice's signature bounce. They might not be connected by blood, but Alice and Esme definitely shared some traits.

Esme finally released her, venom tears rimmed her eyes. Bella went up onto her toes and kissed the side of her face before she backed up and looking down at the paper again. She reached for a pen out of the cup that sat on a side table and circled her selections before she handed it back.

"_Thank you Esme."_

"You're welcome dear." came the gentle response as the woman looked over the paper. "Off you go. I'll let you know when something is ready."

Bella left the kitchen and pulled Jasper with her. She found the rest of the family gathered in the living room.

"We need to go for a quick hunt Bella, but Esme and Rose are fine and will stay here with you. We won't be long."

Bella shrugged and nodded her understanding. _"Okay. I'm sure we'll be alright."_

She looked over at Rose, who surprisingly had a bit of a shy look about her this evening. Bella suddenly realized that she and Rose had never spent any time alone together. Jasper rarely left her, and when he did it was usually in the care of several others. She hadn't spent much time alone with _any _of the Cullens, but Rose was the Cullen she'd had the least contact with. She began to feel a bit of guilt for not attempting to get to know the gorgeous woman more. Maybe if she had, she wouldn't have had the wardrobe question earlier. She gave a little sigh and resolved to do better.

Twenty minutes later she found herself on the couch. Rose silently occupied the other end and picked at her nails, an obviously nervous trait that confused Bella. What did Rose have to be nervous about?

Bella waved a bit to get Rose's attention. _"Wh__at's wrong?"_

Rose looked down.

"_Rose?"_

"I was just wondering," she hesitated then took a deep breath and continued, "Do you think you will miss being human?"

Bella tilted her head, unsure where this was coming from. _"I'm sure there are parts I will mi__ss. My family. Angela and Ben."_

Rose shook her head. "No. I mean like changing. Once you are turned you will _never_ change. If Jasper was human you would have grown old together. Had a family."

Bella shrugged. _"Jasper isn't human, and if he was he wouldn'__t be _my_ Jasper. My Jasper is the culmination of everything he has been through, both as a human and a vampire. I don't know that I would have loved a human Jasper the way I love my vampire."_

"What about the children?" Rose asked softly. "Won't you regret not having a family?"

Bella shook her head. _"I can't regret something that will never be Rose."_

"It could. If you were human you could have children of your own." Rose insisted.

Bella's brow furrowed. _"No, Rose. I don't want children. I want Jasper. Would you give Emmett up to have a child?"_

Rose sat back in surprise. Her expression turned thoughtful.

"No." She whispered. "No. I wouldn't. Emmett is my everything. Not even a child could take his place."

Bella relaxed back into the couch, suddenly content. Rose had a soft smile of wonder on her face. Their eyes met and Rose's smile widened. "Thank you."

Bella began to respond when she felt Jasper getting closer. He was excited. She turned toward the door and waited for him to appear.

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A/N: Feel free and let me know what you think. I respond to all reviews. Til next time. :)


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. I'm just playing.

A/N: Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read, review, and alert my story. I love seeing every message and email alert from y'all. Big thanks to everyone who took the time to give me comments and edits on the chapter. I am constantly trying to improve my writing, so it is thanks to all of them that I am becoming a better author.

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~Jasper~

Tonight was going to be perfect. He was finally going to get to hold his kitten while she slept, something he had only been able to daydream about until this night. Luckily, Alice had caught him in time to prevent Emmett from seeing him in such a distracted state. One could only imagine how long he would have taunted Jasper with _that_ bit of information.

He monitored the bond with Bella to reassure himself that she was alright. He had no major concerns though since Rose and Esme were watching her. Esme would never do anything to intentionally bring his mate distress, and Rose would protect her if any danger arrived.

Rose was fiercely loyal, and would bring that fierceness to any battle for her family. They had encountered the occasional nomad that had risked their exposure and Rose stood proud and determined to do what was needed to eliminate any risk. Jasper enjoyed the chances to spar with Rose. She had enlisted his training soon after she learned of his past. She told him she never wanted to feel vulnerable again; that she needed to be able to defend herself if need be.

Emmett had supported her choice, knowing it came from the events that led to her being turned. Her ability to feel secure was one of his highest priorities, and as a vampire younger than his Rose, he could not help her. Jasper had also trained Emmett, knowing that the male would never allow his mate to be on the battlefield without him by her side. It was impossible-his drive to protect her would outweigh any other instinct. So Jasper made sure that both of them were properly trained, and that they would be very difficult to kill in a hand to hand fight against another vampire.

Rose was clever. Emmett was strong. Together it was a lethal combination.

Jasper hurried back to his heart, his kitten, his Bella. For a while she had been bored, but now she was contemplative. She and Rose must have finally started to talk. Rose had been surprisingly shy when he left Bella in her care. He knew that she was curious about his young mate, and he hoped that they could become friends. He felt that was something both of them could benefit from.

He sped through the front door and scooped his mate up into his arms. Her amusement reached out to him from across the bond and he smiled happily in response.

"Have you had fun, kitten?" He asked as he settled her on his lap.

She wiggled in a delicious manner as she moved to face him. _"__You __haven__'__t __been __gone __long __enough __for __me __to __get __into __trouble__."_

He winked at her. "I'm sure you could have found _some_ trouble if you went looking."

More amusement crossed their bond to him.

"_Why __even __bother __when __you __are __gone__?__I __always __have __the __most __fun__ when __you __are __here__."_

"Awww, come on Belly Bean. Don't lie to the man. You know I'm the most fun." Emmett teasing voice drifted from behind Jasper.

Bella just stuck her tongue out at him and lust coursed through Jasper's body as he thought about her tongue making an appearance for a different reason.

Esme's arrival saved him from having to choose between responding to Emmett or Bella.

"Here you are, dear!" Esme proudly brought in a steaming bowl of pasta.

Bella smiled at her warmly and hurried over to the table to sit at the place that had been set for her. Jasper chuckled lowly at her quick movements. He watched her sign her thanks to Esme and they briefly had a conversation before Esme pushed her hair back behind her ear and then moved off toward the kitchen again; she almost glowed with the maternal love.

The Cullen clan waited impatiently while Esme brought out several more dishes for Bella to eat. Thankfully, Esme had reconsidered the variety she had planned to offer Bella and had prepared only small tasting sizes of each. Originally she had full courses planned, but Alice had gently steered her in this smaller direction after having a vision of Bella spending the night puking from overeating. There had been severe cutbacks after _that_ had been mentioned.

A quiet whisper from the kitchen had the majority of the Cullens gathering there. Edward was at his piano and waited for the next cue. When Esme determined that the time was right, she told Edward and he began to play Happy Birthday.

Bella looked around and her eyes were wide when they finally met Jasper's. He smiled and her tension eased. Her grin widened when Emmett came to the front of the group, got down on his knees in front of her and belted out the song. His voice warbled comically and Jasper soaked in the happiness that surrounded him. Even Edward was less morose at this moment.

Esme brought out a plate of cupcakes that were stacked on top of each other in a mock of a tiered cake. The top one had a small candle flickering brightly.

Jasper watched Bella's eyes fill with tears and he tasted her emotions, relieved that she was just overcome with happiness. He caught her eyes and she wiped away the threatening drops.

"_You __made __little __cakes__," _she told Esme.

"You said a little cake was okay," reminded Alice.

"_And__ you __listened__. __Thank __you__."_ She closed her eyes for a few moments and Jasper looked to Alice in confusion.

"She's making a wish," came the low answer from Edward.

The others looked toward Edward and he frowned at the keys of his piano and answered the unspoken questions. "No I can't hear her. I'm just not stupid. You're supposed to make a wish before blowing out the candle."

Jasper bit back his growl at the insult, not wanting to sully this night with fighting. That didn't stop him from making unvocalized threats though.

Edward snorted at his mental display and started to randomly play the piano and ignore everything else.

Jasper's eyes snapped back to Bella in time to see her chocolate brown gaze revealed. She was focused on the candle and she blew it out in a quick breath.

"What did you wish for?" Emmett asked eagerly.

She smiled down at him. _"__I __can__'__t __tell __you __or __it __won__'__t __come __true__."_

She took the candle out of the cupcake and laid it on the edge of the plate before running her finger through the icing. Jasper watched her as she licked the icing off her finger and then placed the finger into her mouth and sucked. He knew his eyes were darkening and she gave him a startled look. The finger came out of her mouth in a pop as she quickly removed it, a blush pushing to the surface of her skin.

Alice approached Emmett from behind and leaned over his shoulder. It was sort of comical the way her feet popped up and she put all her weight on him in order to lean closer to Bella. "Is it time for presents now?"

Jasper chuckled and went to Bella's side. He nuzzled her neck. "Are you ready for all this?"

She nodded and Emmett took that as his cue to stand. Alice squealed as she went up with him, but Jasper watched how Emmett's hand balanced her and kept her from falling. He strode over to the couch and tossed her on the cushions. She bounced lightly and was quickly on her feet and breezing out of the room. She came back carrying a handful of packages.

"Start with this one. It's from Edward." Alice handed her the package and Jasper watched her nibble her bottom lip, uncertainty creeping into her.

Jasper sat next to her and pulled her close. He rumbled a purr into her ear and whispered. "It's okay."

She began to carefully open it and Emmett groaned in annoyance. He grabbed it out of her hands and paper exploded into the air.

"Like that, Belly Bean. Tearing it into little pieces is half the fun of the gift." Emmett instructed as he handed her what had been previously hidden in paper.

"_I__'__ll __take __that __into __consideration__."_

Jasper looked down at the book in her hands and tried to keep his face blank. He knew Edward was getting her a book, but this book? Romeo and Juliet. Classic Edward.

Edward's voice came to them from across the room. "I thought it appropriate considering she's going to die."

A heavy silence filled the room as his words took hold. Snarls filled the room as the outrage took over. Jasper fought between the need to protect his mate and attack Edward. It was Carlisle who took advantage of his hesitation.

The piano seat shattered under Carlisle's kick, and Edward fell heavily onto the floor. Carlisle hovered over him and Jasper was satisfied to see venom trailing down his chin. Indignation rose in the older vampire and Jasper resisted the urge to join, instead pulling Bella somewhat behind him in a protective stance.

"What did you say?" snarled Carlisle, spittle hit Edward's cheek.

"I was only referring to her being changed. Nothing else." Edward attempted to defend his words.

"Bella's change is none of your concern. Threats will _not_ be tolerated. This resentment you harbor is unjustified Edward. Any change in your status within the family will be your own doing, and no one else's. Think on that back in Denali for the weekend."

"What?"

"Denali." Carlisle enunciated clearly and slowly as if speaking to an idiot, which thrilled Jasper and made him smirk.

"You will go back to Denali for the weekend. You can come back in time for school Monday."

Carlisle stood up and wiped the streaks of venom from his face. He waited two breaths before he scowled down at the still seated Edward. "Now."

The air turned slightly awkward once Edward had gone. Carlisle hunkered down in front of them and Jasper's lip curled as the male approached. He was uncomfortable having another so close to his mate at this moment, and only his knowledge of the man and his lack of any more aggressive emotions allowed him control over his baser instincts. Carlisle held up his hands in a calming gesture and his understanding of Jasper's defensive need helped to calm him even more.

"Bella, I apologize for that abominable display. Please forgive me."

Sadness and confusion warred within her and Jasper stroked her hair in a soothing motion. He watched her hands speak. _"__You __have __nothing __to __apologize __for __Carlisle__. __It__ should __be __me __apologizing __for__ the __disruption __I __have __caused__ your __family__."_

Again Carlisle was faster than him. "No Bella. It's like I told Edward, any changes within our family in regards to him are completely based on his own actions. While I admit that his actions are all in response to your arrival, they are nonetheless still his own actions, and therefore his responsibility."

Bella nodded into Jasper's shoulder but her emotions told him she was still upset. He comforted her until her emotions settled enough for him to nod to the family. The tension eased out of their stances and the pressure pounding against his senses relaxed. He gave a sigh of relief and nuzzled his mate's neck for his own comfort before he pulled away. He felt the heat of her skin increase as she took in the fact that everyone was watching them.

He lifted his chin and eyebrow at the group. Esme jumped forward and grabbed one of the packages. "Here you go sweetheart, this one is from me."

Curiosity lit up in Bella and Jasper smiled a bit in relief that the worst of the emotional storm seemed to have passed. He felt a spark of mischievousness and watched her give Emmett a look before tearing the paper open in a fast motion.

Pleasure seeped into her as she took in the variety of cookbooks that spilled out of the package.

"I thought we could try some new recipes together." Esme offered as explanation for her shared gift. "We can try them out here, or you can take them home and experiment on Charlie. I'm sure he won't mind."

Bella grinned widely. _"__No__, __I__'__m __sure __he __wouldn__'__t__. __Thank __you __Esme__. __This __is __wonderful__."_

Esme shook her head to deny the compliment and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, a habit she had begun to pick up from Bella when she was feeling modest or embarrassed.

Bella looked at the remaining packages and then looked to Jasper in question. He felt the push of uncertainty from her and laughed as he handed her the smallest package. "Do this one next. I am curious to see your response."

She took it and looked at it a moment before looking to the others. Silence ensued. Finally she signed. _"__Who__ is __it __from__? __I __want __to __know __how __scared__ to __be__ before __I __open __it__."_

Jasper chuckled. "You don't have to be scared about any of them, kitten."

Her eyebrow raised at that and doubt shot to him across the bond.

"That one is from me Bella," offered Carlisle.

Bella nodded and her hair brushed against Jasper's arms which caused tingles of electricity to shoot through him. He began to nuzzle her as she tried to open the small package.

Amusement and understanding hit him. He looked up into the eyes of his family. He tried to back away from her a bit, but was almost instantly pressed back against her. Bella's body melted into his the instant they touched again. Jasper looked to Carlisle but his posture and emotions remained relaxed, so he knew that he had nothing to worry over.

His eyes returned to Bella's graceful fingers as they opened a small box. A sharp intake of air from her had him placing his chin on her shoulder. He looked down at the tickets in the box and briefly thought that something so anticipated could at least look nicer. So ordinary and bland.

"_Carlisle__, __I __have __always__ wanted __to __go __see __a __Broadway__ show __and __The __Lion __King __is __one __of __the __ones__ I __most __wanted__ to __see__. __How__ did __you __know__?"_

Carlisle gave a slightly sheepish smile. "I didn't. I was only hoping you might want to see it. I have heard great things about it."

Bella's head bobbed in enthusiasm, and Jasper had to pull back so she could execute her excited gestures. _"__So __have __I__. __Oh__, __Carlisle__, __this __is __fantastic__!__"_

A momentary confusion muddled her excitement. _"__But __why __are __there __four __tickets__?"_

Another sheepish look. "I don't think Jasper would be able to handle letting you go all the way to Seattle with just me, so I thought we could make it a double date. You, Jasper, Esme and I."

Bella's eyes captured his and Jasper shrugged in easy acceptance. "It's true. I can barely let you out of my sight for the overnight hours, I don't know that I could handle you going so far without me. Are you upset? Would you prefer to go with just Carlisle?"

Carlisle jumped in. "We have a box to ourselves. We can arrange ourselves however you like to make you most comfortable."

Bella smiled, understanding and consideration moved over him. _"__I__'__d __love __for __both __Jasper __and __Esme __to __come__. __T__hat __way __we __are __sort __of __sharing __a __date__. __It __sounds __like__ fun__, __and __when __was __the __last __time __you __two __had __a __real __live __date__?"_

"Last week," came the easy response from Esme.

Jasper smiled at the surprise from Bella. "Carlisle and Esme have an active dating schedule."

"Oh Bella, open mine. Pleeeaaasssee." Alice begged, finally unable to handle the suspense any more.

His mate pretended to think about it, but her spike of mischievousness told on her; at least to him.

She took the package and slowly, ever so slowly, opened the paper. Emmett started to laugh wildly, not complaining about the speed. It was Alice who was practically cracking the side table as she clenched onto it impatiently.

Finally the wrapping paper was removed and Jasper smiled at Bella's stunned look. Her brow furrowed as she held up the box with the video camera inside. She looked to Alice for an explanation.

"Oh Bella, it's going to be so much fun. We can tape all the things that happen between now and your change. You can do a video diary of sorts and tell all the little stories and details you want to remember. We can also make movies! Have you ever made a movie before? I haven't. It sounds like fun, don't you think?" Alice babbled on and Jasper hid his face in Bella's hair at Emmett's irritation.

Confusion mixed with amusement emanated from Bella at the frenzied words. He brushed his lips against her ear and murmured, "Alice doesn't remember anything about her human life."

"_Nothing__?"_

"Nope." Alice responded easily. "Weeelll, that's not entirely true."

Relief flooded Bella but was quickly returned to surprised astonishment when Alice continued with, "I did remember my name. Just my first name, but that's better than nothing."

Jasper was always astonished at how accepting Alice was about her lack of memories. It made him wonder if, as a human, she had been like she is now; always looking forward and never back. Perhaps that was the aspect of her personality that had been enhanced during the change, leading to her gift of foresight.

Jasper knew that Alice's loss was the motivation for her present. They wouldn't know until she woke up if Bella was going to retain any of her human memories, and even if she did they would never be the same. A vampire's mind was a higher functioning mind, yet more primitive and instinctual at the same time. He could easily calculate advanced mathematics, plan a war, and debate the benefits of mauve versus beige all at the same time; yet he was still bound by his baser instincts to feed, kill, mate and defend.

So even while most vampires remembered something of their human lives they did not always understand why they felt and reacted the way they did at the time. He believed adults had the same thoughts on their actions as teenagers. While everything made sense in the moment, it seemed ludicrous when you looked back on it.

"_What__ does __everyone__ else __remember__?"_

Carlisle answered for everyone. "I remember most of my life. Esme and Rose only remember the last few years before their turning. Emmett remembers nothing of the events that led to his change, but can remember flashes here and there of his childhood and life. Jasper, as I'm sure you know, is a mix of all of those; clearly remembering the last few years before that but also flashes from other points in his life."

"_Why__ such __a __variety__?"_

Carlisle was moving into his scientist mode and Jasper put a stop to it before an intense, and lengthy, discussion began. "Another time, kitten. This is your time. We can discuss this in depth later."

Disappointment came from Bella and Carlisle, more from Carlisle, but the others only gave off relief at having averted the potential tangent.

"Mine is next," stated Rosalie, her smooth voice surprisingly gentle. "It sort of goes along with Alice's."

Bella tore apart the paper to reveal a digital camera. _"__Thank__ you __Rose__."_

Rosalie came over and opened the box. She pulled the camera out and showed it to Bella. "I got you one with a manual focus. You have total control over the picture that way. Of course there is still an automatic option if you want, but I think you'll like the manual once you know how it all works together."

Rosalie handed it over to Bella to explore and continued, "Jasper told me you haven't picked an area of concentration for your senior project in Art yet. I thought you could do photography. It would suit the perceptive aspect of your personality. You seem to see things others don't, and now you can capture what you see on film. Or rather in pixels."

Jasper and Bella stared at her in surprise. While he had known what gift she had chosen, he had assumed she was just mirroring Alice in an object that was capable of capturing memories. He had no idea she had put such thought into it. He felt ashamed that he had not believed his sister capable of deeper thinking in this regard.

Bella smiled at Rose, and Jasper was pleased that the affection she was broadcasting was verging on familial love. Something had happened between these two while he was gone that had brought their relationship closer. He gave Emmett a wink as his head tilted toward the two females, who were exploring the camera. Emmett beamed and ran his fingers through Rose's hair, but she was so used to the display of affection she only patted his leg and continued the conversation with Bella.

Pride and happiness came off of Emmett. Jasper knew he had been a little concerned that Rose and Bella wouldn't get along. Rose could come off a bit strong and icy to most, and it had led to her being somewhat isolated, even within the family. They all loved her, but there was never a full bond between any of them. Emmett had confessed to him that he hoped that Bella would look past that and see the great woman that was within her, and that Rose would finally have a true friend to turn to when she needed it. Emmett could fill most roles in Rose's life, and was compelled to as her mate, but this was something he could not be for her. He could not be her girlfriend.

The family let the two women continue their conversation until Emmett, very reminiscent of Alice, bounded up to them and declared it was time to move on with the presents. Jasper laughed loudly at his antics.

"_Alright__, __alright__."_ Bella was shaking her head at him.

"Here Belly Bean." Emmett practically shoved the present in her hand, earning himself a growl from Jasper. Emmett just rolled his eyes at the display.

More paper destruction ensued to reveal a collection of software. Emmett knelt down at Bella's feet and pointed to each in turn. "This one we can use to manipulate and alter your photos. This one we'll use to make movies from the videos. This one lets us create our own music and soundtracks that we can upload into the movies. I didn't know if you were into that, but I wanted the option available if you were up for it."

Bella blinked in surprise and then a sliver of disappointment shot through her.

"What's wrong?" Jasper murmured.

"_These __are__ such __lovely __gifts__, __but __I __know__ my __computer __can__'__t__ handle __these __kinds__ of __programs__. __My __netbook __is __not __equipped__ for __it __either__."_ A small frown tugged on the corner of her lips.

Jasper shook his head and pulled the last bag toward him. Alice frowned at it, having complained long and hard about how a single simple bag ruined the aesthetic of the rest of the beautifully wrapped packages; but he wasn't going to let Alice wrap any gift of his and he couldn't wrap for shit. A bag was perfectly acceptable.

"Then I guess it is a good thing your father wanted to get you this. I helped a little though, so I guess you would say it is from both of us."

Deep pleasure washed through her and across the bond, and Jasper tensed against the urge to rub himself against her.

An intense curiosity overtook her and even though he knew what lay within the bag, Jasper found himself leaning forward to peer into it with her. Shock radiated from Bella as her hands stilled. She must have finally seen what was residing in the bottom of the bag. Tear filled eyes looked toward him.

"_This __is __too __much__."_

"I told you I only helped a little. This is mostly from your father. If you have a problem with it then you need to take it up with him." Jasper tapped her nose teasingly. "I have something else for you, but I'll give that to you later."

She nodded her understanding before her hands moved again and she pulled a laptop out of the bag.

Emmett leaned forward. "We opened it already so I could set it up for you. Keep looking, there's something else in there too."

Bella reached in again and pulled out a box with a bunch of letters and numbers on it. She stared at it blankly.

"It's a wireless router. We set your house up with wifi. This house is already set up, of course, so now you can connect to the internet quick and easy whether you are here or there." Emmett explained with eager intensity.

Jasper chuckled. "That's where we just went, to your house to set up the wifi. Your Dad let us in and Emmett explained everything to him."

Bella arched an eyebrow at him.

"Yes, we left written instructions too." Jasper confirmed. He nuzzled her neck a moment before he pulled himself away from her and gestured to Emmett to take his place. Emmett slipped into the seat and immediately began to point out the features of the new computer.

Jasper watched them and smiled at the familial love that bounced between the two of them. He only looked away when he sensed an itching curiosity from another member of his family. He located the source as Esme. Her head was tilted slightly as she considered something and the curiosity in her began to burn.

Alice's head suddenly snapped up and she started to shake her head and wave her hands frantically, but it was too late. Esme's voice cut through Emmett's instructions. "Bella, what did your mother get you?"

Sharp, stabbing pain cut through Bella. Its intensity caused Jasper to cry out and his knees went weak from being unprepared. He stumbled to Bella, the others instantly pulled back. He pulled her close and dove into their bond. He watched in amazement as she fought back rage and sorrow, forcing it beneath layers of acceptance.

Her head came up as the last of the dark emotions were put away. A single tear had escaped and he kissed it away.

"Kitten?"

She gave a weak smile, a horrible attempt to reassure him. She turned to Esme and answered, the acceptance a tight shield within her. _"__Nothing__."_

Esme frowned in confusion and looked to Jasper for confirmation but Bella repeated herself as he felt the emotions fighting within her again. _"__You__ understood __me __the __first __time__. __She__ gave __me _nothing._"_

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A/N: Thanks for reading! As always I respond to all reviews, so if you want to let me know what you think I'd love to find out. :) Til next time!


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. No infringement intended. I'm just playing.

A/N: Thanks to everyone who has read, reviewed and alerted this story. Your continued support is amazing. Big thanks to all my prereaders and my wonderful beta.

Warning: I have been told the beginning of the chapter has the potential to cause tears, so if you are prone to such I do not recommend reading this in an area where you don't want to cry.

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~Bella~

"What did your mother get you?"

Bella heard the innocent question and closed her eyes against the stabbing pain. Every year she hoped for a different outcome, and every year she was crushed. The past experiences let her know that hope was futile, yet she could not seem to help the small kernel that bloomed within her at every occasion that maybe this time Renee would be the mother Bella hoped for. Dreamed about. Craved.

"_Nothing."_

This year had only a slight variation from the others. Phil. He had used her mother's phone to text her a birthday greeting, but Bella had seen through the veil of deceit. Phil should know by now that Renee did not text in full sentences. It was text talk or nothing, since that was the thing to do nowadays. Forget the English language, it was a world of ambiguous acronyms.

True, Phil's gesture had been done with good intentions, but that did not change the fact that Renee did not wish to think of her on this special day.

Esme's confusion only brought back the stark reminder of how strange Bella's relationship with her own mother was. She had tried to gather acceptance, but this gentle woman made her see what she was missing. What she wanted.

"_You understood the first time. She got me_ nothing._"_

Bella took a deep breath and tried to ease the tremor from her hands. She turned her body into Jasper's and bathed in his scent. His purr rolled over her and it was a soothing balm to her wounded heart.

"I...I don't understand," came Esme's pained whisper.

Of course she didn't. Esme, who was so full of love, could never understand someone like Renee, who could only love herself. Bella began to pity Renee a bit in that moment. In her attempt to live life the way she thought it should be, Renee had made her life a mess and pushed everyone and everything that could have brought her true happiness away. Bella doubted Phil would be able to last long in Renee's world of delusion and self satisfaction.

"Did she forget?" continued Esme. Unable, or perhaps unwilling, to acknowledge the blatant disregard Renee had shown her.

Bella, head still buried in Jasper's shoulder, shrugged. She honestly didn't know the answer to the question.

"Esme, stop." Jasper pleaded; his voice caused his chest to rumble under her ear.

"But, why? Why would she..." Esme's voice trailed off and Bella wondered what had finally caused her silence; realization at the pain she was inflicting, or glares from the others. Bella allowed her face to lift and met Esme's confused and pained eyes.

Bella took a deep breath and let her eyes flick around to the others. They all showed similar looks of concern, confusion, pain and, to her surprise, anger. The fact that this family was angry on her behalf gave her some comfort and courage to share more about Renee.

"_My mother does not love me,"_ Bella began.

"Oh dear, I'm sure..." Esme started in but was quickly stopped by an angry gesture from Bella.

"_NO. I know my mother. I have been forced to live with her long enough to know what she loves, and it is _not_ me. I was simply a source of income for her; between milking my father and the government she made out quite well. I was only allowed to move now because I was turning 18. I am an adult, and can no longer be used in such a way. So I am no longer of any use to her. Charlie even paid out the full month of August and September so she wouldn't delay the move and I could be here for the beginning of the school year. Otherwise she probably wouldn't have let me go until today."_ Bella began to tug on her hair, the motion calming her slightly.

"_I doubt I will ever talk to Renee again. I have nothing to say to her, and now she can go on with her life the way she has always wanted."_

Bella slumped back into Jasper, tired of questions and explanations. His body curled around her protectively and she smiled at the love he pushed toward her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, inhaling his scent and relaxing further into his hard body.

The sounds of rustling made her open her eyes in curiosity. The others were gathering the discarded wrapping paper from where it had fallen. Alice placed all of the gifts into the bag and disappeared, probably to put it with the overnight bag.

Suddenly Bella remembered that she was going to be spending the night. She frowned as she considered the activities Alice had planned out for the evening. Makeup, nail painting, hair braiding, girl movies, gossip, magazines, unhealthy snacks; the list of possibilities went on and on. Bella was unsure if she should be amused or aggravated. She decided to wait and see what plans had been made before she judged how the evening would go. Hell, she didn't even know where she would be sleeping. She hoped that it would be in Jasper's room; a shiver of anticipation went over her and Jasper pulled her closer in response. His lips brushed against her ear and his deep chuckle made her shiver again.

Bella waited for the announcement of the next event for the evening, but instead watched the family gather near the front door. Suspicion made her frown, but it was Jasper who asked the question that had been forming in her mind.

"What's going on?"

"We have another gift, but this is for the both of you," was Alice's answer.

Bella's head tilted in question, and her eyebrows rose in surprise. Jasper's own curiosity flowed to her across the bond. Silence filled the room.

"Well?" Jasper asked, the exasperation clear in his voice. "What is it?"

Alice just giggled and turned to slip out the door. Emmett winked at them and followed her, pulling Rose behind him. Esme smiled at them, her eyes lingered on the couple. Apology screamed from her posture and Bella returned the smile in an attempt to show her that she bore no hard feelings against the matriarch.

Carlisle nudged her into movement and he paused at the threshold. "We thought you would like the weekend alone to celebrate. We will be back Sunday night. Bella, your father thinks that we are surprising you with a shopping trip to Seattle. So be warned that Alice will be returning with several outfits for you. I'm sure Rose and Esme will try to make sure she doesn't buy you a whole new wardrobe, but Alice is Alice."

His eyes twinkled and he shot Jasper a look that she could not interpret over her head. The sound of the door closing firmly behind Carlisle echoed lightly through the room. Bella blinked in surprise as silence surrounded them. Slowly she turned to face Jasper, a blush blossomed on her cheeks.

"_What do you want to do?"_ She tried to act casual, as if she wasn't being assaulted by a myriad of images and thoughts.

Jasper kissed her cheek lightly, his hands gently massaged some of the tension from her arms. "Whatever you want, kitten. Tonight is all about you. That hasn't changed just because the others have left. I won't do anything you don't want. You lead."

Her desperate need was tempered by sudden fear. She needed a bit more time.

"_Can we watch a movie?"_

"Sure, kitten." He shifted her slightly and got up to move across the room to where the DVDs were kept.

She missed his nearness instantly and unconsciously leaned toward him as he looked at the options. He held up several choices and she pointed at one, a nice safe comedy. She had seen it several times so she wouldn't feel bad if her mind wandered, as she knew it would.

Alone. She knew where this was heading. Her body always pulled her closer to Jasper; needed him. The only thing that had stopped them from claiming each other had been the interruptions and presence of the others. Her body was ready, but was she?

Bella remembered what Angela had told her, that the physical expression of her love to Ben had made her feel even more connected to him. Yet, she and Jasper were already so deeply connected the thought of it going deeper was beyond her imagination.

Even though she couldn't imagine it, she knew it was possible. There was more to be had, more of themselves to blend together. They were so much apart of each other, but still maintained their individual selves. Would that disappear with their deeper connection? No, surely not. The other mated couples still were themselves even though they were bonded. Yes, they had told her they were influenced by the bond, but it did not take away from their own sense of self.

She knew that whatever decision she made, Jasper would honor it. That knowledge made her more confident, made her look into herself to see what it was that _she_ really wanted. No thoughts of others or what they might think of her. This was not about them. This was about her and Jasper. As long as she had him, everything would be right in her world.

She decided to not overthink what may or may not happen tonight. What would be, would be. If they claimed each other then so be it. If they chose to wait, that would be fine too.

Decision made, Bella relaxed into Jasper. He had been patiently waiting and wrapped his arm around her the moment she had leaned into him. His lips kissed her temple gently and she smiled softly at the warm butterflies that flew over her skin in response.

"Okay now?"

She nodded as she shifted further against him and turned her full attention to the movie playing on the screen. She let herself get lost in the familiar jokes and scenes.

Once the ending credits appeared on the screen Bella stretched, arms high above her head. She choked on her own breath when she felt Jasper's fingers wiggling along her ribs. She flinched back as her face scrunched up with silent laughter at his tickling.

She attempted to fight back, but his speed made it impossible. Finally she gave in and tapped her hand on the couch to signal her defeat. He immediately sat up, and gathered her onto his lap. Satisfaction oozed from him as he chuckled.

"_Don't be so smug. I'll find a way to get you back,"_ Bella threatened, not really knowing how she would accomplish such a feat.

He just chuckled again. "I'm sure you will. Someday."

She snuggled against him, the soft music on the television filled the room. After a while Bella registered silence, and looked over to see the credits had stopped at some point. She looked up at Jasper, amused at how easily she could lose awareness of her surroundings when he was near.

"Are you ready for my present now?" Jasper's smooth voice broke through her thoughts.

Bella blinked up at him. She had forgotten about his other present to her. Suddenly curious she nodded excitedly. Her fingers dug into his shirt when he suddenly stood, and he held her tighter in response.

She heard the soft hum that was his footsteps as he hurried to their destination. When the blur of her surroundings stilled she saw that they were in his bedroom. He placed her on the bed and gestured for her to wait. She scooted back until she leaned against the pillows piled by the headboard.

He came back to her and settled down in front of her, a wooden box in his hands. He handed it to her and Bella looked down in awe at the intricately carved box.

"_It's beautiful."_

Jasper smiled. "Be sure to tell Emmett when they get back."

"_Emmett?"_ she queried, her head tilted to the side.

"He made the box for me. He has an interest in carpentry. Actually, most of the furniture in the house was made by Emmett. He had fun taking on the challenge of a smaller piece. But the box is not my gift; my present is inside."

She took another moment to admire the box before she carefully took the lid off. As she peered inside her breath caught in her throat. A delicate necklace resided within the box. She picked it up and examined it closer.

She felt Jasper shift closer and he flattened her hand, the pendant sat in the center of her palm. His finger traced the pattern. Two swans. They were a bit abstract in design, but when she looked she could clearly see the distinguishing features of the graceful creatures. Yet, it wasn't just two swans. They crossed over one another. His finger again traced the figures and she saw it.

"_W? Why a W?"_

He smiled, and she watched his eyes darken into a golden caramel. An edge of nervousness nipped at the her across the bond. Why would Jasper be nervous? He was never nervous. What could this possibly symbolize?

"I haven't always been a Cullen," he paused and she nodded her encouragement.

"Before I was turned I was a Whitlock. When I make you mine, that is that name that I want you to have. This," he pointed to the pendant, "is a combination of the two of us. Swan and Whitlock."

His fingers picked up the necklace and carefully undid the clasp. "Will you wear this? Show the world that you are mine?"

Tears filled her eyes as she nodded her assent. She turned her back to him and pulled her hair over her shoulder to expose her neck to him.

His cool fingers brushed her nape as he fastened the necklace. She shuddered as heat moved through her. He pulled her back and wrapped his arms around her and she closed her eyes to enjoy the cocoon of love that surrounded her.

She knew. She turned to face him, her hands reached out to cup his face. Her lips found his in a soft kiss.

"_Jasper, I'm ready. Claim me. Make me yours completely."_

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A/N: Sorry for the cliffie. I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter. I would love to hear what you think. I respond to all reviews...speaking of which, I'm off to finish that now. Til next time!


	19. Chapter 19

I was informed that Bella's words were coming out all together. So sorry. Not sure why all the spaces were somehow taken out. I have uploaded it again, and hopefully it will stay this way. Thanks to everyone who supports me!

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A/N: I couldn't decide which POV to do the claiming, so I chose to have it both ways and go completely third person so you could have input from both.

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Jasper looked at her with wide eyes.

"Are you sure?"

He tested her emotions. No fear. No doubt. Just love and a deep passion.

She smiled up at him. _"Yes, I'm sure. Claim me. Make me yours completely."_

Jasper pulled her close and kissed her wildly. A low growling purr rumbled from his depths and caused Bella to shiver in delight.

"Mine," he whispered roughly.

Bella began to tug on the bottom of his shirt but he pulled it from her grasp.

"We have all night. We can take it slow."

Her sudden frustration took over and before she could think about it, she signed, _"I don't want to wait. I want to see all of you now."_

Her cheeks burned bright as her words caught up to her. Jasper chuckled as Bella wrung her hands together and considered the the best way to explain her thoughts. _"I've always wanted you, even from the beginning. I wanted to make sure I was as ready for it here,"_ a brief tap on her temple, _"as I was here." _She ended the short explanation with a long gesture down her body.

Jasper sat back. "I don't want you to have regrets later. I don't want you to think I rushed you."

He cupped the back of his neck with both of his hands and looked up. He needed to focus on something else at the moment. Something other than Bella's tantalizing scent and tempting body. The flush had never fully left her face, and her eyes were still round with the spark of newly awakened lust.

Her hands reached for him and pulled his face down until his darkened gaze met hers.

"_That's just it, Jasper. I've been thinking too much."_

She nibbled on her lip and he suppressed a groan. God she was so sexy, and she had no clue.

"What do you mean?"

"_I've been too concerned about what everyone else will think. It's all happening so fast. I'm not the kind of girl who goes out and just jumps into bed with someone because they are hot. What would that look like?"_

She held her hand up to stop his words when he began to respond.

"_I know we are not like that, but this world only cares about what they see and the perceptions and gossip they can make from it. I have let myself be held back, even here in your own house, by my worries."_

She shook her head and he felt her shame and self-recrimination.

"_I know better. What we have isn't shallow and fleeting. I know you, all of you. You are my mate. My soul mate. Without you, I am incomplete. By holding back I am denying us the full bond that we deserve. And for what? So that people won't talk about me?"_

She huffed and he suppressed a smile at her piqued look. It was just so cute, his angry little kitten. She raised her eyebrow at him, knowing he was laughing at her.

"_I'm sorry Jasper." _

A deep sadness emanated from her and her shoulders slumped a bit as she finished her confession.

"Don't be sorry," He stated. "I understand. The bond is new and overwhelming, even to me. I have an advantage where I have known about these things for a long time now, and have been surrounded by a family who knows and understands the circumstances we face. Hell, Emmett has been giving me astonished looks for weeks. He doesn't understand how we have been able to hold out against the influence and need to claim each other."

He pushed back a lock of her hair and the small gesture brought her comfort.

"I will never let the bond influence us to go faster than we want. Everything we do will be by our own choice. I won't take that away from you. We have forever. There is no hurry."

Forever. She smiled at the idea. Forever with Jasper. A happy warmth suffused through her and she leaned forward to gently kiss him.

"_Let's start our forever now."_

He smiled widely at her. "No more thinking. Just let your instincts take over. Do with me what you will."

He spread his arms wide and she immediately reached for the bottom of his shirt again and pulled it over his head. He let his arms fall to his sides and watched her as she touched and explored his body. She was always fascinated by him, and it didn't matter how many times she saw his exposed flesh, she always touched him like it was the first time.

He tensed, resisting the urge to touch her back. He groaned aloud when she gave his chest an open mouthed kiss, the heat and moisture she left behind made him shiver when she leaned back.

She pouted teasingly. _"No fair, Jasper. If I have to let go, then so do you."_

"I don't want to hurt you." His voice was raspy.

"_You could never hurt me, even in your most primal state." _She kissed his collar bone. _"Let go."_

He did. With a rumbling purr he gave in to his desires. Her shirt was on the floor a second later, reduced to scattered scraps of cloth. He pushed her back onto the bed and she arched into him as he kissed her lips, then made his way down her neck. He nibbled softly, teasing her shoulder before his tongue made a trail to the top of her breasts.

Her breaths came fast, and her chest rose to meet his searching tongue. Bella felt her nipples harden in a painful yet delicious way. She tugged at his hair to urge him downward. She wanted his mouth on them. He chuckled wickedly, which made her shiver in desire. Heat was filling her, making her ache.

He nipped at her flesh through her bra and smiled widely when she gasped. With a flick of his wrist the bra joined her top on the floor, another scrap.

He marveled at the feelings of love, lust, and need that echoed between them. Her heavy-lidded eyes watched him as he began to kiss her breasts reverently. She was perfect. As he licked one, he massaged the other. His thumb ran over the tip, mimicking the movements of his tongue. He switched, giving each equal attention with mouth and hand.

Bella watched him, her hands travelled over his shoulders and down his back. She touched everywhere she was able. She couldn't stop. She scratched at him when he elicited sharp surges of pleasure in her.

This wasn't enough. She needed more. She pushed against his shoulders, and after a last kiss he retreated.

Jasper let her hands guide him until he was sitting back against the headboard. She had a spark of mischief in her when she straddled his lap. He purred when he felt her heat radiate from her core. His cock twitched. He watched her bite her lip and felt himself twitch again in response. He waited for her, instinctively knowing she needed to make the next steps on her own terms.

She scooted closer until she was pressed tight against him. Her thighs squeezed his hips and she rolled her body against his. The ache at her core propelled her forward as she felt his hard length rub against her. His hands grabbed her ass and pulled her harder and faster against him and she delighted in the feel of him taking some of the control.

She leaned forward. His cool chest made her nipples harden even more as she pressed her breasts into him. Her lips found his neck as she licked and nipped her way up to his jawline.

Jasper turned his head to capture her mouth. His tongue sought entrance to hers, and she easily submitted to him. Their tongues tangled together. She tasted sweet. So delicious. So intoxicating.

He rolled them until he was on top again. As much as he was loving this, he needed more. He needed to taste all of her. He sat up and took a deep unnecessary breath and luxuriated in the scent of her arousal. A purr rolled from him and she smiled widely up at him, her love surrounding him.

He reached down and unbuttoned her jeans. He tested her emotions and found her calm, well, as calm as his highly aroused mate could be at the moment.

Bella nodded her consent and lifted her hips to aid him as he pulled her pants down. He left her underwear in place and she was briefly disappointed until he tore them from her, his eyes twinkling as he looked over at the growing pile on the floor.

She let him feel her silent laughter at his antics and he gave her a quick kiss. Then his eyes darkened and she could feel the need and lust building in him again. Her insides quivered in anticipation. They had never been able to get this far before and she was eager to discover what pleasures lay ahead.

He moved down her body, pausing to kiss here and there. She flinched as he nibbled her side and he chuckled when he felt her giggles, but moved on. He softly kissed her hip, and urged her legs open so he could settle between them.

He felt a surge of nervousness tinged with embarrassment come from her. He began to speak to her, his thoughts streamed from his lips as he kissed and licked down her hip and across her leg.

"You are so beautiful, Bella. So exquisite. I am so lucky to be able to claim you as mine. You smell divine. It's driving me crazy. I can't decide if I want to eat you, or fuck you senseless." He paused as he considered the options.

"I'll probably do both. Now which should I work on first?" he teased her as he trailed his tongue closer to her center.

Bella gasped as heat pulsed through her. Her hips tilted upward without conscious thought, telling Jasper what her body wanted.

He took a moment to inhale the delicious scent of her arousal before he moved forward and had his first taste of her. He moaned as the liquid proof of her want touched his tongue. He heard a quick inhale of breath and felt the spike of pleasure in her and grinned. He took his time to taste and explore her. He lost himself in her emotions as he took her higher and higher. Her body began to tremble and he knew she was close.

He left her warmth only long enough to insist, "Let go. Come for me, Bella."

The huskiness of his voice only added to the sensations of pleasure that were whipping through her. His mouth returned to her clit and sucked hard; she shattered, her mouth wide as she silently screamed her ecstasy.

She slowly came back to herself, her body completely relaxed. She could feel his fingers brushing over her folds, his cheek rested on her thigh. She looked down at him and returned his smile and chuckled to herself over the feelings of self-satisfaction and smugness she felt from him.

"Ready for more?"

She nodded, eager for whatever he planned next. She bit her lip lightly when she felt his finger glide into her. Her eyes stayed locked with his as he moved the finger slowly in and out. His thumb started to brush against her clit teasingly, and her mouth went dry. She licked her lips reflexively and watched as the movement captured his hungry gaze. Suddenly his mouth was on hers, and he was seeking entrance. She opened to him and his tongue touched hers. She tasted herself on him, but didn't mind. It only seemed to add another dimension for her senses to try and process.

As he distracted her with his mouth, Jasper took the opportunity to slip a second finger into her. He was trying to make this as painless as possible for her, but his need to protect her was fighting with his need to claim her. The need to claim was starting to win.

Bella could feel the fight within him. Concern, need, fear, lust. All were roiling within him, but above all of them was his love. She pulled back from his mouth and tugged his hair so he would lean back. She focused on her own love, desires, and the now desperate need that was building in her and pushed it to him through the bond. His eyes widened as he received her message, her silent commend to be claimed.

Jasper shifted, and reached down to guide his hard cock to her entrance. He paused when her hot body enclosed the tip. He clenched his teeth against the searing pleasure. Jasper ducked his head into her neck and began to purr low into her ear. When he felt her relax he slid further into her.

He took his time, slowly retreating and entering her. Each time he came back into her, he went deeper. He halted when he felt her tense. He sucked and nibbled on her shoulder, just the way he knew she liked before he surged forward. Bella's eyes went wide at the feeling, but was quickly distracted by Jasper mumbling near her ear.

"I'm sorry, kitten. So sorry. I'll make it better. I'll please you so much it will make you wish you could spend all day, every day in my bed."

Silly Jasper. She already felt that way. There was no place she would rather be than within the comfort of his embrace. Only there did she feel whole; only there did she feel like herself.

She smiled at him to reassure him, but his face was still buried in her neck. She turned her head and took in the sight of his gritted teeth and tasted the lust that battered against his restraint.

Her own needs started to burn her again at the evidence of his passion and the depth of his caring.

She kissed the shoulder that hovered over her and raised her hips. He slid in deeper and she gasped at the warm, tingling pleasure that skittered over her nerves.

Jasper hissed as her heat enveloped him further and he focused even more on locking his muscles and not giving into the urge to fuck her hard and fast.

"Bella," it was a groan of both pleasure and pain. Begging and pleading, for what he wasn't sure. More. Less. Another groan erupted from his throat.

He felt her tug on his hair, and he pulled back enough to look in her eyes. He was surprised to see love and desire in her heavy lidded eyes. He suddenly realized he had been so focused on holding back he had somehow blocked her out. He relaxed his control and her need came over him. It rivaled his own.

He kissed her softy and murmured, "I love you."

He felt her love push toward him in answer to his words. He pulled his hips back, retreating from her heat. Her leg hooked over his hip, as if in protest. He chuckled.

"I'm not going anywhere, kitten," he said before slowly and steadily moving back inside her.

So good. He felt so good. Her hips tilted up again and he slid even further inside her. She felt so full, but in a good way. She could easily get addicted to this.

She lost herself to the feelings that began to invade her. She clutched Jasper close as they began to move in sync. Their bodies wrapped around each other and she closed her eyes as her body filled with ever increasing pleasure. Higher and higher she went, until she was sure she couldn't take any more.

Jasper marveled at the swirling emotions that rebounded between them. Their individual passions and needs were amplified as they combined and demanded the completion of their bond. He watched Bella's face as her mouth screamed silent passionate cries. The sight was so erotic and only served to drive him forward with even more vigor, much to her delight.

Bella wrapped her legs around Jasper's waist completely and he purred loudly. She scratched her nails down his back and thrust herself up to meet him. He was driving her closer and closer to an unknown edge. It was so much more intense than when he had tasted and touched her, and that scared and thrilled her at the same time.

"I've got you. It's okay. Let it happen," Jasper pleaded.

He nibbled on her neck and thrust his hips forward in several long, deep strokes. Suddenly Bella's body tightened around his and she shuttered as exquisite pleasure rippled through her. With a loud roar Jasper felt his own world implode then pour from him. He watched in fascination as a brilliant silver light appeared from the center of his chest and swirled around him before it drove into Bella. Her back arched upward at the contact.

Her eyes followed the glowing line, but without the wonder he knew was radiating from him. Her beautiful chocolate gaze met his and he was distracted by the satisfied glow in them. He leaned down to kiss her lips lovingly.

He carefully withdrew from her and was relieved when only a minor twinge of discomfort emanated from her. Jasper rolled onto his back and pulled her with him. She settled her head against his shoulder and he buried his nose in her hair, luxuriating in the combined scent that wafted from her.

Bella sighed in contentment when Jasper pulled a blanket over her exposed skin. Her body felt like a liquid pool and she didn't know if she would be able to move even if she had wanted to. She let her fingers swirl through the glitter of the bond where it was concentrated near his heart.

"Beautiful," Bella heard Jasper murmur.

"_Yes, it was."_

Jasper chuckled and captured her her fingers that were trailing along his chest. "Kitten, beautiful does not even begin to describe what just happened between us. I was actually talking about this glow," he vaguely gestured to the light.

Bella's head shot up sharply, and would have collided with his chin had he not moved out of the way. He pouted when she sat up to look down on him with wide eyes. He tugged on her, missing her warmth at his side.

"_Glow?"_

He tried to tug harder, but she batted at his hands.

"_You see the glow?"_

He frowned at her determined air and decided the sooner he answered her question the sooner he could get her to lay back down again. He wasn't done touching her yet.

"I saw this glow leave me and enter you at the end of the initial claiming."

"_Do you still see it?"_

He nodded and traced the glow with his finger. He watched as it shifted and swirled under his touch; the inner core shone and sparkled with prisms of color. He started to smile and thought how they moved like dust motes when he tried to grasp them.

Dust motes.

His brain finally caught up and his mouth dropped open. "Bella?"

She smiled brightly and nodded. She reached out and traced their bond, absentmindedly noting the more solid edge.

"_You can see it? You can see the bond?"_

Jasper's own wide smile echoed hers, and he tangled their fingers together and let them travel along the glow that connected them. He watched in fascination how the bond would glow brighter and seemed to solidify when they both were touching it. Her emotions were clearer to him too. Love, wonder, and joy were the strongest, but he could also sense her lingering passion and need, as well as minor discomfort after their activities. It wasn't just a general sense of discomfort, he knew _exactly_ where it was coming from. The precision of it was amazing.

"I can feel you, so much more than before."

Jasper pulled her down against him again, needing to feel her body against his own. The contact brought him peace and a gentle, quite contentment filled his once raging soul. He relished the feel of being whole at last.

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A/N: Hope it was enjoyable. Let me know. I respond to all reviews. :)


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: I offer no excuses for the huge delay. Big thanks to everyone who continue to read and review this story. As always, I am surprised and humbled by your response.

I was informed that in the last chapter all the spaces were deleted in Bella's speech, so that has been fixed. Not sure how that happened, so sorry.

Big thanks to everyone who has helped with this chapter. My lovely prereaders: Simaril, Gredelina1, Untamed Loner. Of course thanks to my beta HammerHips.

Disclaimer: all rights belong to Stephenie Meyer.

* * *

Previously in Unheard:

_Bella sighed in contentment when Jasper pulled a blanket over her exposed skin. Her body felt like a liquid pool, and she didn't know if she would be able to move even if she had wanted to. She let her fingers swirl through the glitter of the bond where it was concentrated near his heart._

"_Beautiful," Bella heard Jasper murmur._

"Yes, it was."

_Jasper chuckled and captured her fingers that were trailing along his chest. "Kitten, beautiful does not even begin to describe what just happened between us. I was actually talking about this glow." He vaguely gestured to the light._

_Bella's head shot up sharply, and would have collided with his chin had he not moved out of the way. He pouted when she sat up to look down on him with wide eyes. He tugged on her, missing her warmth at his side._

"Glow?"

_He tried to tug harder, but she batted at his hands._

"You see the glow?"

_He frowned at her determined air and decided the sooner he answered her question the sooner he could get her to lay back down again. He wasn't done touching her yet._

"_I saw this glow leave me and enter you at the end of the initial claiming."_

"Do you still see it?"

_He nodded and traced the glow with his finger. He watched as it shifted and swirled under his touch; the inner core shone and sparkled with prisms of color. He started to smile and thought how they moved like dust motes when he tried to grasp them._

_Dust motes._

_His brain finally caught up and his mouth dropped open. "Bella?"_

_She smiled brightly and nodded. She reached out and traced their bond, absentmindedly noting the more solid edge._

"You can see it? You can see the bond?"

_Jasper's own wide smile echoed hers, and he tangled their fingers together and let them travel along the glow that connected them. He watched in fascination how the bond would glow brighter and seemed to solidify when they both were touching it. Her emotions were clearer to him too. Love, wonder, and joy were the strongest, but he could also sense her lingering passion and need, as well as minor discomfort after their activities. It wasn't just a general sense of discomfort, he knew exactly where it was coming from. The precision of it was amazing._

"_I can feel you, so much more than before."_

_Jasper pulled her down against him again, needing to feel her body against his own. The contact brought him peace and a gentle, quiet contentment filled his once raging soul. He relished the feel of being whole at last._

~Bella~

Bella sighed in contentment as she sank deeper into the water that surrounded her body. The heat soothed her muscles, and she blushed as she shifted and felt the soreness between her legs. The flush faded as she smiled goofily. Jasper was hers completely, just as she was his.

Jasper walked into the bathroom and knelt down next to the tub. She felt her grin widen as she took in his naked form.

"Kitten, if you don't get out soon, your ice cream will melt."

Bella made a face of mock horror then reached her hand out so Jasper could help her stand. The water coursed down her body, and she smirked when Jasper's eyes darkened with lust. She felt herself respond and let her body slide sensually against his as she stepped carefully out of the tub.

"Bella," he growled.

She winked at him as she grabbed a towel and walked past him to return to the bedroom. She found a bowl of ice cream on the bedside table, and she quickly dried herself off before she picked up the bowl and settled herself under the covers. She looked over at him as he leaned against the doorframe of the bathroom and smiled as she slowly brought the spoon to her mouth and licked it clean.

She nodded her head toward the vacant spot at her side, and she watched in amusement as he blurred over to her. He nuzzled into her neck, and she tried to act coy as she took another bite of her ice cream.

She was failing miserably.

"Kitten," he murmured.

She looked to him with innocent eyes as she slowly licked the spoon again.

He purred. The deep reverberations echoed through her body and set her insides tingling. She gave into an impulse and straddled his lap. Bella carefully took a scoop of the melting food and let it drizzle over the chest exposed to her gaze. She hungrily took in the sight, looking away only long enough to set the bowl on the nightstand.

She leaned down and let her tongue trace the melting lines. The sweetness of the ice cream was made all the more delicious by the addition of his own unique flavor. He groaned and she smirked as he grew hard beneath her. His length nudged her core as she moved to lap up the sweet drizzle beside his nipple. She felt her wetness begin to coat him, and she paused to close her eyes and savor the pleasure that rippled through her.

She opened her eyes and met Jasper's darkened gaze.

"Are you too sore?" he rasped.

Bella shook her head, then reached down and took him in her hand. She positioned him so the tip of his penis settled at her entrance. Slowly, ever so slowly, she lowered herself onto him. His hands came up to rest on her hips and she silently moaned as he pulled her further down until his length was fully buried inside her.

Bella bit at her lower lip as she began to rise and fall above him. Her hands clawed at his chest as the pleasurable tension grew within her. She panted as his hips rose to meet her downward thrusts. Suddenly Jasper pulled her down and his mouth latched onto her nipple. His tongue flicked at the hardened bud and Bella felt herself burst. She convulsed around him, and fell upon his body, her muscles limp.

Jasper flipped them over, his still hardened member deep within her. She looked up at him with astonishment, and he grinned back down at her widely.

"I'm not done with you yet, kitten." he assured her, and went on to prove it.

Bella slept deeply that night; even in sleep her body was drawn to his and she pressed herself close to his side. She woke slowly, her foggy mind confused as she blinked sleepily. Her surroundings came into focus, and she sat up abruptly as she recalled the events of the previous night. Jasper's chuckle from beside her caused her blush. She started to reach for the blanket that had fallen from her, but Jasper tugged the fabric from her hands.

"You are too beautiful to cover up. Never hide from me."

She smiled at him and leaned over to claim a soft kiss from him before she slipped from the bed. She shook her head when she saw him pout.

"_Not all of us have venom that kills plaque. Some of us need to brush our teeth," _Bella reminded him as she arched an eyebrow teasingly.

"Oh yes, how could I forget the best reason to become a vampire? Good dental hygiene," was his dry reply.

She pushed her humor at him and then turned away to walk to the bathroom, aware of an extra swing in her hips that she couldn't seem to control.

She exited the bathroom feeling refreshed and ready to start the day. She sauntered over to her bag and she pulled out the cami and shorts. Jasper gave a low growl and she looked up at him with a twinkle in her eyes.

"_Jasper, I know you want me to stay naked, but I do not think I could look your family in the eye if I knew I had been walking around their house in the buff. I'm hungry, so you will have to deal with a few clothes."_ She shook her head as she listened to him grumble.

Even with all of his verbal protests, he still managed to get dressed and pull open the door for her before she could reach it. He hovered over her protectively as she walked down the staircase. She rolled her eyes when he pulled out the stool by the kitchen island and placed her down on the cushioned seat.

She watched him rapidly make her a plate and smelled the steaming food appreciatively as she grabbed the fork that rested on the edge of the plate.

"Be careful, it's hot."

Bella felt her temper flare and she dropped the fork with a clatter. _"For the love of all that's holy, Jasper. I am not made of glass. Nothing has changed in one night just because you have claimed me. Stop treating me like a child. I think I have more than proven that I am not."_

She picked the fork back up with a huff and speared a chunk of egg. She concentrated on eating until the contrition she felt from him was too strong to ignore. A quick glance over at him showed her his bowed head and repentant posture.

Bella shook her head and smiled ruefully then leaned forward and nudged his head up with her fingertips. His round sorrowful eyes met hers with a hesitancy she had not seen from him before. Her own head tilted in confusion as she delved into the bond. An edge of fear lingered behind the stronger emotions.

"_Jasper, why is there fear within you?"_

"I don't want to fight. I don't want to push you away." Jasper's hands clutched at her shoulders. "Don't leave me. I know I am not worthy of you, but don't leave."

Bella's brow furrowed and she felt sadness for him. _"What kind of life have you known that you would think I would leave after one moment of irritation? Do you think my love for you is so shallow?"_

Jasper's eyes widened in shock, the fear becoming more dominant.

"No!" the denial burst from him, "Of course not. I just..." He stopped, unable to explain.

"_Have more faith in me, in our bond. All couples fight, not that I would even call this a fight, but it doesn't mean they don't love each other. Not to say they should fight all the time, because that isn't good either."_ Bella realized she was starting to ramble and took a breath before she continued,_ "It just means that they don't agree and are passionate about their side, but that's okay. I don't expect you to always understand my point of view, just as I am sure I will have trouble understanding yours from time to time. As long as we talk it through, it will all work out. Don't worry, Jasper, I'm not going anywhere. You're stuck with me."_ She gave him a sassy wink at the last comment.

He pulled her close and wrapped her in a cool embrace. She relaxed into his chest and inhaled his distinctive scent. Sweet and earthy. She could pick up more undertones to it now, but was ignorant as to what they were. All she knew was that it was comforting and made her feel safe and loved. She smiled happily as he nuzzled her hair and rubbed his hands along her back.

Reluctantly, she pulled away. _"I need to finish eating before the eggs go cold. I don't know if you remember, but cold eggs are not very appealing."_ Her nose scrunched at the thought.

She quickly finished her meal. _"What are the plans for the day?"_

He shrugged. "We can't go into town since you are supposed to be Seattle, so we can stay around here or try our luck out in Port Angeles."

Bella considered the options. _"Let's stay here. Port Angeles isn't so large that we could get lost in a crowd if we ran across people we knew. I'd rather not risk it."_

Jasper nodded in agreement and his eyes took on a gleam. "What do you want to do here?"

His voice had a husky edge to it that made her shiver in delight. _"Down boy. I'm still new to this, and I need a bit of recovery time."_

"There are plenty of other things we can do that won't be hindered by your tenderness," he reasoned, his fingers pushing through her hair.

She silently laughed at him and gave his chest a playful swat. _"And we have plenty of time in which to do those things. How about you take me for a walk. I want to see more of the woods, but I don't trust myself to go alone."_

"Would you like to go back to the cliffs? We can walk back from there, and if you get tired I'll carry you the rest of the way."

Bella nodded her agreement and gave him a wide smile to show her excitement. She hurried upstairs to change into more appropriate clothes. Jasper followed closely behind, and she knew from the bond that he was watching her protectively in case he needed to save her from her occasional clumsiness. She decided to tease him, and she slowed down to deliberately sway her hips. She was rewarded with a lusty growl. She pushed her amusement at him and let her gait return to normal.

Once she was in the room, she changed into the jeans from the previous day. She considered her options for a moment, and instead of choosing the t-shirt she had brought, she went to Jasper's closet. A few moments of rummaging and she finally located a worn flannel shirt. She tugged it on and tied it at her waist to keep it from hanging loosely around her, a few buttons done up at the bottom. She turned to him.

He grinned at her and beckoned her over. She took in his outfit, which was very similar to hers. He too had left the top half of his shirt open, leaving his undershirt exposed.

His fingers trailed across the top of her own exposed cami and teased the crevice between her breasts by dipping in just long enough to allow her warm skin to feel the cool temperature of his fingertips. She shivered in reaction and stepped closer to him. She let her fingers trail along his collarbone, an area she had discovered was sensitive to him. When she leaned in to lick it she heard his intake of breath and smiled victoriously.

She pressed one more soft kiss on his sensitive skin and moved away. Her hand grabbed his and tugged him forward. The first few pulls elicited no response, but, with her insistence, he collected himself and moved with her.

Once outside, he flashed her a wicked smile full of mischief, and swept her up over his shoulder. He smacked her playfully on the butt when she tried to wiggle down. Bella silently giggled and reached down to grab hold of his belt to help her balance. Her head tilted and her lips curled up as she admired the way his jeans hugged his hips and the curves of his ass. She began to nibble on her lower lip, wishing she could be nibbling on him instead.

Suddenly she was in his arms, his yummy ass no longer visible. She pouted up at him as he continued to walk.

"None of that now, kitten."

"_I was admiring the view."_

"I won't be able to hold back if you keep sending me all those lusty feelings."

Bella shrugged, but could feel the flush of embarrassment on her face. He was right. She was the one who had just told him she needed time to recover. But he was so damn sexy; she couldn't help but admire and want him.

He kissed her forehead, and she returned the gesture with a small peck on the underside of his jaw. She watched the scenery pass by. He wasn't going as fast today, and she could easily see the trees and foliage as they swept by. It was so beautiful here. Different from the dry surroundings in Arizona, but no less beautiful.

She was somewhat disappointed when he stopped at the cliffs, and she prepared herself for the sad moment when he would release her from his embrace. She was pleased when he settled himself on the rocks with her on his lap. A small smile crossed her lips as she shifted to a more comfortable angle and took in the sight before her.

Bella thought back to the last time she was here. It was in this exact spot that she had realized her love for him. It hadn't been long ago, but her feelings then compared to now seemed shallow. The depths to which she would go for this man, how much she needed him...it was indescribable. Love seemed too small a word to encompass all she felt. She wondered if this was how normal humans felt love, or if it was a part of the bonding.

Bella pushed away the deep thoughts, wanting to have a lighter day. She turned to fully face Jasper and let the conversation flow naturally. They had been laughing over Emmett and Rose's various escapades when a question began to form itself in the back of her mind. She started to ask, then deciding that she didn't care, stopped herself.

"What were you saying?"

"_Nothing. It's not important, just a curiosity."_

"Tell me, please. You know I'll answer any questions you have."

"_I was just wondering how many..."_ Bella hesitated as she considered the right word, _"...partners you've had."_

She felt his body tense under her, and heat suffused her face as she tried to explain. _"Like I said, it isn't important. I was just curious. I mean, you were so fantastic, and I can't help but wonder how many people it took for you to get so good."_

He chuckled and she felt him relax, but she still looked up at him with a bit of uncertainty. _"I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable."_

"No, kitten, it's okay. I was just surprised. It's not every day the love of your life asks about his past sexual encounters."

He reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and she leaned into his touch.

"_So..." _she prodded for an answer.

"I wasn't a virgin when I was turned, though I didn't have anyone I loved. I was a soldier, as you know, and when the tension was too high I would go out with some of my friends and find someone to help relieve it. There was no feeling behind the act. The same is true for my encounters after I was turned. Vampires as a race are subject to their instincts and stronger emotions. Newborns are unable to control themselves and will give in to whatever desire they have. The easiest way to control them is by fulfilling their needs. I was controlled through the use of sex and blood. Maria is a very twisted vampire, and sex was just another tool. Any momentary pleasure I had was not worth the pain I had to feel in order to get it."

Jasper's eyes were haunted and far away again. Her hands moved over his chest and arms, the need to comfort him was overwhelming.

"She eventually found other toys to play with and let me lead her army in her stead. I still took all my orders from her, so I had no true control of our actions, but she let me do the dirty work of training her minions."

Bella's nose wrinkled at the term and a corner of his mouth lifted upward.

"I know it is not the most polite term, but that is what they were. Minions. Mindless things to be used for a specific purpose and then destroyed when their usefulness was gone. Even I could not save them."

Bella disagreed, _"You saved Peter and Charlotte."_

His head tilted to the side, and she could feel him considering her words.

"True, but I don't think that makes up for everything else I did."

"_It's something."_

He nodded and his hair fell into his eyes. As she pushed it back he spoke again.

"Everything changed that night, the night I let them go. My whole perspective on life, and what I wanted. I hadn't been happy for a long time, but I hadn't considered what my life _could _be like. I had accepted what it was, and believed that it would always be that way; or at least be that way for as long as Maria was willing to keep me alive. After seeing Peter and Charlotte together, I knew there could be more. I didn't want to destroy what they had come to represent, so I let them go. Even after I let them go I was too entrenched to go myself. There was always some reason, some half baked excuse for why I should stay. I was a coward..."

His voice faded and she could feel the self-loathing begin to reach up from where it was usually buried deep within him. She wanted to tell him he was wrong; that he was a wonderful, gentle soul, but she knew that it was better for him to let it out. As much as it hurt, he needed to just let it out and give into the feelings so they could stop having so much power over him. All his energy was spent on suppressing emotions, both those he was subjected to and his own, that the consequence was he didn't always know how to handle them.

"I haven't been with anyone since I let Peter and Charlotte escape Maria," he abruptly said, returning to the original topic that led them astray.

"_No one?"_ she asked, somewhat surprised.

He shook his head and she continued to stare up at him open mouthed. That was a long time to go without physical release, especially for someone who had experience. Maybe if he had been a virgin she could understand better; ignorance is bliss, or so they say. Hell, her own mother couldn't go a few months without making some comment about "her needs". Insert bad mental image here.

She knew he was telling her the truth, but the truth was just so remarkable. She blurted out the next thing that came into her head. _"Not even Alice?"_

Jasper blinked down at her in surprise, then burst into laughter. "Alice? No. Never." He continued to chuckle at her.

She saw a twinkle enter his eye and waited for the teasing to start. "Though she _has _been trying to get me out of my clothes since the day I met her."

She let an eyebrow raise and refused to take the bait. _"Stand in line. You aren't the only one who has a wardrobe she can't approve of."_

He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I like your clothes. You have a comfy sexy thing going on."

"_Right back at ya."_

They settled back to watch the clouds. He would occasionally release a chuckle and mutter "Alice?"

After this happened the third time she turned back to him. _"It's not _that _funny, Jasper. She was your companion for a long time, and you two are very close."_

"That's true, but we have a familial bond. Nothing like ours." His hand waved at the space between them.

His face tensed as his eyes looked between them. "It's gone. Where is it? Isabella?"

The very fact that he used her full name and not his pet nickname was a clue to her about his distress, even if she hadn't felt it building in him.

She caught his attention with a gesture and asked, _"What is gone?"_

"The bond. I can't see our bond anymore. It was there this morning. I don't know when I lost it. Gone."

Bella felt a brief stab of her own panic and looked between them. Her head tilted slightly when she easily caught sight of the silver glow between them.

"_It's right here."_ She let her fingers swirl the glowing particles that made up their bond.

His eyes watched her fingers intently. "I can't see it. What happened?"

Suddenly she understood, and she leaned forward to explain. _"Just because you can't see it, Jasper, doesn't mean it's not there. I couldn't always see it in the beginning either."_

"Yeah?"

Bella nodded. _"Close your eyes. Feel it. I know you will be able to feel where it is."_

She watched as he did as she instructed. His eyebrows furrowed then cleared as he let out a sigh. His emotions were calmer when he opened his eyes and looked again at the space between them.

Another sigh, this one tinged with sadness, escaped him. "I still can't see it."

Bella smiled up at him gently. _"Feel for it again. Do you know where it should be?"_

He took a moment then let his hands ghost along the line of the bond. "Here."

She nodded her agreement. _"Yes. Now focus on that area only. That's what I had to do when I wanted to see it."_

She waited patiently while he tried to focus, eager to feel his moment of triumph. Instead frustration grew and she watched him twitch in response to things she couldn't see or hear. When his eyes flicked off after the third time she pulled his attention back to her.

"_I think your focus is too broad. Focus here, just between my hands."_ She held her hands out on either side of the bond about midway between them. _"Push away the outside noises if they try to break through. The only thing you want is right here."_

Bella admired Jasper's physique as he took deep breaths, his shirt opening wider to expose his delicious collar bones.

"Kitten," he growled a warning "No distractions from you either."

She sent him a brief flare of apology then calmed herself to aid his focus. After a period of time, she let her eyes go unfocused, then gave in and closed them. She inhaled the clean, crisp air around them and lost herself into the scents and sounds of the woodlands around them. Evergreen and dirt mixed with chirps and chitters. She smiled as a light breeze ran over her still upheld hands, so full of moisture it felt as if water was flowing across her fingers.

She almost missed the awareness that started to come from him, but when his breath stuttered she opened her eyes to look at him. His eyes were narrowed, almost glaring, at the space between her hands.

He began to take deep breaths again, a smile blooming across his face. Bella smiled in response, and then silently chuckled as she watched a new struggle come over him. He wanted to look at her, to share his triumph, but he didn't want to look away from the newly found bond.

She shook her head at this and let her hands move into the bond to say, _"Found it?"_

"Yes." He whispered.

Bella grinned, _"Why are you whispering?"_

He frowned at her hands. "Am I?"

His voice had gone slightly louder in volume, but nowhere near his normal tone.

"I don't want it to go away again."

"_Jasper, it won't go away. Even if you can't see it, it is always there." _Bella knew she was repeating herself, but he just wasn't letting go of this.

"_Could you see it before last night?"_ she pushed the subject.

"You know I couldn't." Jasper shot back, irritation making his tone sharp.

"_But you never doubted it was there."_

He gave a little huff. "No, I didn't."

Bella moved her hands to their normal position for signing, no longer willing to indulge in his new fascination. _"Then why are you so stuck on having to see it all the time now? What changed between now and then?"_

"Because I _can_ see it now. It's there. I mean _really there_. The proof that you are mine forever. You don't realize how miraculous that is for me." His eyes searched hers, and pleaded for her understanding.

"_I do understand. Maybe not fully, but I realize how special this is." _Bella bit her lip briefly before she went on, _"But instead of the bond, why don't you focus on me instead? I'm here. Right here. Literally. The bond is something we have created together, but when we are together, I can think of tons of other things we can focus on."_

Jasper gave her a little smirk and winked at her. "Is that right?"

Bella laughed at him, but couldn't help but respond to the desire she felt in him now. _"Yes, that too, but there are other things I want to do as well."_

"We can do whatever you want, kitten."

She carefully scooted herself off the boulder. Jasper was by her side within a heartbeat.

"_First I want you to walk me through the woods and point out things to me."_

"What kind of things?"

Bella shrugged, _"Whatever you want. Show me what it is you see when you are out here. What do you like or dislike. I don't know anything about the woods, but it's so pretty and it wouldn't hurt to know a bit more."_

"All right, ready?" Jasper held his hand out for hers.

"_I'm ready for anything as long as I'm with you."_ was her easy response, and she meant it. When she was with Jasper, she felt like she could do anything, be anything. She was strong and powerful. She was worthy to be this vampire's mate, even if she was still human for the time being. She slipped her hand into his and fell into step beside him.

Jasper leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "I'll always be here for you."

She gave him a soft smile and sent him her love, which he returned. Cocooned in his love she let him lead her into the forest.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading! As always if you give me a review, I am always excited to see what you think and will respond.


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: Huge thanks to everyone who read, reviewed and alerted the story. Your words of encouragement always make me smile. Big thanks to my prereaders, who help me become a better writer, much love!

Forgive any grammer problems, my beta is very busy and hasn't had a chance to look this over yet. I will change it out with the beta'd version once that is ready.

* * *

~Bella~

Bella smiled at the screen of her laptop. Jasper's face smiled back at her. Even after a month, she was still amazed at how clear the image was. He grinned wider and signed to her, each gesture crisp and clear, with no confusion as to his meaning.

"_Still amazed by me, kitten?"_

Bella laughed at the newest running joke between them, _"Always."_

They continued to banter back and forth until her father knocked lightly on the door and poked his head through, eyes closed.

"Decent?" he asked.

Bella snapped twice to indicate yes and Charlie's brown eyes opened and met hers. "Talking to Jasper?"

She nodded.

"Not too late. I'm going to bed now, I have an early shift tomorrow. Sleep well, Bella. Night Jasper."

He said the last a little louder and Jasper responded with an easy "Goodnight, sir."

Bella continued to talk to Jasper for a while longer, before a yawn broke across her face. When she focused back on the screen he smiled and signed, _"Go to sleep, kitten. I'll see you in the morning."_

"_Alright. Night, Jasper. Love you."_

"_I love you too, with all my heart." _

She blew him a kiss then disconnected the video chat before she snuggled deeper under the comforter. As her eyes closed she noticed the dress hanging on the back of her door. She smiled as she let the memory take over as she drifted off to sleep.

_Bella snuggled deeper into Jasper on the couch when Alice bounced into the room, giggling_ _excitedly as her eyes searched for them. She dashed over, frowning only briefly as she took in their casual clothes and then flicked her hand, as if discounting the observation. _

_Bella watched with a tinge of jealousy as Alice knelt down gracefully. Well, she'd be that graceful soon enough, why begrudge her the quality? _

"_Oh Bella! You have to come and see what we got you."_

"We? Or you?"

_Alice pouted. "Everyone had a say in what we got you, but I will admit I had a strong hand in it."_

"Everyone? Really? Even Emmett and Carlisle?"

"_Hell yes, I had a say! Not going to let those girls tramp you up BellyBean," came Emmett's booming voice, quickly followed by a slap. "Shit Rose, you know that hurts. I was only kidding."_

"_As if we would ever _tramp her up_. Really Emmett, I don't know where you get that sense of humor," came Esme's exasperated reply._

_Emmett wiggled his eyebrows at her, "I like to think I got it from Daddy Carlisle. You know as well as I do that there is a wild man under those crisp outfits he wears."_

"_Maybe so, but at least he has the decency to keep it behind closed doors."_

_Carlisle zipped behind her and whispered in his wife's ear, a low murmur that Bella couldn't decipher. She looked up at Jasper and he told her dryly, "You don't want to know."_

_Alice captured her attention again when she tugged lightly at her hand. "Please, Bella. Can we go look at the clothes?"_

_Bella silently laughed and untangled herself from Jasper's embrace, despite his low growl of protest. She gave him a quick peck on the cheek and a wink before letting herself be led out of the room. Rose grabbed a few bags of luggage and followed, Esme on her heels. _

"_Watch out boys, the women folk are clustering," came the last sassy remark from Emmett as he plopped down on the couch next to Jasper. "Dude, want to play a game while we wait?"_

_Bella was guided into Alice's room, and settled onto a bench near the monstrous closet. She waited while the others whipped out clothes from the luggage and talked amongst themselves about how best to present it to her. She could really care less, but seeing how much effort they were putting into it gave her patience. She had never given much thought to her clothes, other than their comfort, so had no idea why this was such a big deal to them. Perhaps they could enlighten her as to the significance throughout the performance. _

_And a performance it turned out to be. They each held up outfits in turn and gave her, what must be to them, exciting details as to the fabric, cut, and shape of each. After a while they noticed her confusion and calmed down enough to give her some basics, explaining how some colors where more likely to enhance the beauty of her skin tone, while others would make her look sallow and sickly. That some cuts would elongate and show off her legs and the curve of her hip, while others would just make her look like a box. _

_Bella became concerned when they all got a manic gleam to their eyes. In a flurry of fabric they produce the last item for her and looked at her expectantly. Bella look at the dress skeptically._

"It's pretty, but where would I wear that?"

_Alice had an exasperated look on her face._

_"To homecoming of course."_

_Bella felt her eyebrows raise high._

"Homecoming? Why would I go to homecoming?"

_Alice gasped softly. "How could you not want to go to homecoming? The music, the lights, the dancing."_

"Exactly. Dancing. I don't know how to dance."

_"Oh, is that all? We can fix that." Alice said relief in her voice._

_Bella begin to feel uneasy. _"I'm not sure about this Alice."

_"Oh come on, Bella. It'll be fun." Alice's voice had a bit of whine to it now._

_"Alice," Esme admonished, "If she doesn't want to go, she doesn't have to."_

_But after a short pause Esme continued wistfully, "Of course it does sound like fun." _

"_Please," mocked Rosalie, "I know you and Carlisle have your own private party when we're out at those kinds of events."_

_Esme grinned wickedly. "Of course dear, but a high school dance is so much more... innocent."_

_Bella's nose curled at the thought of Esme and Carlisle having sex. It was too much like thinking of her parents having sex. Oh no, the mental images. She looked to the other girls for help. Rose simply looked amused but it was Alice's disgusted expression that her eyes were drawn to the most._

"_Oh for Pete's sake, Esme! I don't need you making those kind of decisions when we're this close. Decide that shit after we've had a fight or something."_

_Rose burst out laughing and jabbed a finger at her. "You invoked his name!"_

_Alice groaned loudly and let her head fall into her hands._

_Rose did a happy dance in a circle around the smaller vampire. "That's right. You did. All you!"_

_Bella choked on her silent laughter and came to a sudden realization that Rose and Emmett were beyond perfect for each other._

Bella woke with a smile on her lips, which turned into a frown as she looked at the dress. Ugh. Dancing. She had easily agreed to go to the dance when Jasper casually told her he had never been to one with a date and would love to escort her, but the very thought of dancing made her cringe.

Alice had been trying for weeks now to corner her into a dance lesson, but Bella had manged to get out of it every time with one excuse or another. She knew, however; that sooner or later she wouldn't be able to get out of it.

Bella got ready for the day, the dress both tempting and mocking her at the same time. The dance was next Friday, and Alice was starting to get this very determined look on her face every time she saw her. Bella could swear she saw her frown for real the other day. It was scary; totally against her normally light hearted attitude.

Bella had just finished packing up her things when she saw Jasper's car pull into the drive. She gave a little wave to him through her window and rushed out of the bedroom. She slowed down when she almost tripped down the stairs.

When she opened the door to Jasper's car she glanced into the backseat to determine what Alice's expression was. Jasper only drove his car when one of his other siblings joined him, that usually meant Alice. Sometimes Emmet and Rose came along. Never Edward. Bella wasn't sure if that was due to his own decision or as a mandate from Jasper. She didn't really care either way. Edward had been coolly polite since his return from Alaska, but nothing more. She knew nothing about him other than what she had been told or had overheard.

On one hand she was curious about the silent, brooding Edward, on the other hand he scared the crap out of her. She was content to wait for the family to decide when Edward and she should have more contact. She trusted them with her life and knew her protection was always in the forefront of their minds. Hell, she'd even given in to letting Rose look over her truck just to make Jasper believe it wasn't going to explode at any minute. It had taken two weeks of puppy eyes on his part for that one. Rose had reluctantly agreed that it was in a good shape as it could get and that Jacob had done "an okay job...for a werewolf".

Alice had a far away look. Not with the emptiness that accompanied her visions, but more like she was lost in her thoughts. Her eyes focused on her with a sudden intensity and Bella looked away quickly.

She gave Jasper a weak smile and leaned over to kiss his cheek after she settled into the passenger seat.

"_Good morning."_

"Morning, kitten. Sleep well?"

She nodded her assent.

"Any good dreams?" he asked when she didn't continue.

She nodded again this time more warily, not wanting to bring up the dress, which would inevitably lead to a conversation about the missed dance lessons.

He caught on to the trepidation and must of thought it was for different reasons since he followed the nod with an eyebrow wiggle and mock leer.

"Oh kitten, were you having naughty dreams about me?"

She stuck her tongue out at him. _"You wish."_

"Indeed I do."

Bella was thankful when he didn't push the subject and let the car fall into a comfortable silence.

Bella groaned silently when they pulled into the school parking lot and she caught site of Jessica and Lauren holding court amongst a cluster of girls huddled close and speaking animatedly. It was inevitable that they were talking about the upcoming homecoming dance; that was all the school seem to talk about these days and frankly Bella was getting tired of it. What little anticipation she had managed to muster over the event was slowly being worn away by the asinine discussions of dresses, flowers, and accessories. She hadn't minded the first few times the topics had repeated themselves, but that had been over a week ago and now she didn't want to hear again how Jessica's dress was more jade than cucumber, or how Lauren insisted what her dress was from an up and coming designer. Bella had heard from an inside source that Lauren's older sister had made the dress for her. She was currently studying fashion at college so it wasn't an outright lie.

Jessica and Lauren had snagged Mike and Tyler as their dates. They were the "star athletes" of both the football and basketball teams. Never mind the fact that Forks High had one of the lowest ranks in the state, possibly even the country. Again, this was from another source since Bella didn't know squat about sports, much to her father's dismay.

Bella was happy for Jessica. She have never seen her glow as brightly as the day Mike had asked her to go to the dance with him, but she worried for the girl too. Mike acted no differently toward Jessica now than he did that first day of school. He was friendly, but didn't seem romantic in any way. So either Mike had liked Jessica from the start and that's just how he acted around her, or he was oblivious to Jessica's feelings for him. Even worse yet was the option that he knew about her feelings and did not care that he was leading her on by taking her to the dance. Bella was opting for oblivious. He didn't seem the type to be that cruel. Tyler on the other hand she could easily see playing that game. She was glad Jessica hadn't set her heart on that one. Lauren could handle Tyler, they both seemed to love the games.

Bella knew she could have asked Jasper what Mike's feelings were, but didn't want to place that burden on him. Jasper could easily tap into what people were feeling at the moment, but it was only that moment he felt and not the overall intentions. Who's to say that Jasper wouldn't peek into Mike's emotions the moment he was distracted by something or was having romantic thoughts of someone else. Just because he was feeling romantic did not mean he was romantic toward Jessica.

Beyond all that Bella had decided she really didn't want to know. If Jessica couldn't know then Bella felt she shouldn't know either. She didn't want the knowledge of Mike's feelings, or lack thereof, to affect how she interacted with Jessica. If Mike didn't like her there was a chance she would start to pity the girl, and that was the last thing she want to do. Bella had been receiving end of pity all her life and didn't want to subject another person to that.

"Bella?" came Alice's bell tone from the back seat. "Are you coming over today after school?"

Bella nodded and winked at Jasper before turning to look at the raven haired vampire.

"_Alice, I'm shocked that you forgot our sleepover this weekend. I'm hurt that you find me so insignificant."_ Bella gave her a mock pout.

Bella made a firm decision in her mind that she would let Alice teach her how to dance that weekend. Alice's eyes glazed over for a moment before she came back to herself with a loud excited squeal.

"Oh Bella. Thank you so much. I promise we'll have fun."

Bella tried not to roll her eyes and simply nodded agreement. _"Sure sure."_

She noticed Jasper growled and stuck her tongue out at him again. She had picked up the phrase from Jacob, who stopped by occasionally to check up on her. He claimed he was just making sure that Jasper was treating her right, but she knew he was also reporting back to the council. They had not yet agreed to her turning, and as the consequences were still up in the air they monitored her closely to see if she was still human. Whichever faction was in control at the time of her turning would dictate whether the treaty remained intact or not after she turned.

Jasper was still mad at Jacob. There had been a minor confrontation between them last week when Jacob had come to visit her for the first time since her birthday.

_Jasper and Bella sat easily on the back porch, enjoying the cool evening air. Jasper groaned and leaned heavily on the railing. _

"_Incoming."_

_Bella smiled and looked toward the woods. She waved at Jacob when he appeared at the tree line. He waved back and started to jog in their direction. He stopped abruptly, nostrils flaring, and glared at Jasper. Before she could blink Jacob exploded, and a huge wolf stood where the human had been before._

_Bella was been more amused at the sudden spray a fabric bits into the air than anything else but Jasper immediately took a defensive stance in front of her. He growled a low warning to the younger wolf who had enough smarts to run off into the woods. _

_He came back a few hours later with Sam close on his heels, dark scowls etched on their faces. _

_Jasper confronted them alone and despite the severity of the situation Bella couldn't help but admire the way his shirt hugged his shoulders when he crossed his arms. She noticed his lips twitch a moment before his body relaxed a bit. Bella consoled herself with the thought that at the very least her lusty thoughts had saved Jacob from getting any permanent damage done to him._

"_Tell me you didn't." Jacob had demanded harshly. _

_Jasper remained silent and both wolves inhaled deeply. _

"_You motherfucker!"Jacob started to launch himself at Jasper but Sam held him back._

"_We are, of course, concerned about Isabella's safety. You are what you are. Don't you think that it would be too easy for you to hurt someone as fragile as her in the heat of the moment?"_

_Bella frowned at the implication that she was weak, then silently chuckled to herself. Well, compared those three she was. Even so, she knew that neither Jasper or Jacob would ever hurt her. Sam, well she didn't know Sam, so she couldn't say the same for him. _

"_Bella is my mate. I could never hurt her."_

"_Accidents happen," was Sam's curt response._

"_Maybe to you they do."_

_Sam growled loudly, but did not advance._

"_What you are both forgetting _again _is my gift. I can feel everything Bella feels the instant she feels it. I am not some sadistic monster who will allow her to feel unnecessary pain."_

_Sam quirk an eyebrow and Bella didn't need to be an empath to see his disbelief. Her lips curled up as a silent growl rolled up her throat. Her eyes widened and when she realized what she was trying to do amusement took the place of her anger. As if tiny Bella Swan good ever scare the huge men she was watching through the safety of a window._

Jasper's hand appeared before her in a waving gesture and brought Bella back to her surroundings. She gave a little sigh and hoped that she wasn't going to be zoning out a lot today. She had already noticed herself relaxing her deaf facade; she wasn't watching the teachers as intently as she should. She didn't think anyone had noticed, but if she wasn't more careful she knew someone would catch on.

Would that be so bad? Bella was tired of hiding. Having found acceptance within Jasper's family had made her see how much she wanted people to accept her for who she was, not the person she just tried to show them. She had her father, she had Jasper, and she had the Cullens. They all knew the truth and loved her just the same. If the rest of the world turned against her would she care? Did she really need anyone else?

Bella looked around her and realized that while she had been deep in thought Jasper had guided her to their first class. She sat down in her seat and rubbed her forehead and tried to push the thoughts away.

"Headache?" asked Alice, her demeanor at chipper as ever.

Bella shook her head. Jasper ignored her response and took the question as a reason to touch her. His thumbs gently massaged her forehead and temples then travelled down to her neck. She smiled up at him gratefully as tension she hadn't known was there melted away.

Bella gesture her thanks and readily accepted the kiss he left at the corner of her mouth. They tried to not be an overly demonstrative couple when it came to their displays of affection. Public groping they left to Rose and Emmett. Private groping, on the other hand, they were all over that.

Jasper stayed near her until the teacher stood and called the class to order. Okay, sure, moving behind her wasn't really that far away, but her inability to touch him and use him as a focus point gave her mind the chance to escape and wonder. She was zoning out again within minutes. It _was_ going to be one of those days.

Even during lunch Bella noticed her mind wandering away from the conversation she tried to have with Angela. She forced herself to focus on the one friend she had outside of the Cullen family. She could push away any guilt for not paying attention in class since Jasper would be more than happy to let her know what she had missed, but she could not redo this conversation.

Jessica has taken over during her lapse and was trying to persuade Angela to join her in a quick trip for accessories after school that day. Bella centered herself on the topic and felt her eyes narrow. The need to run away from the impending dance lessons took hold and she nodded encouragingly to Angela, who looked to her with wide confused eyes.

"Would you like to join us Bella?" Angela queried.

The rest of the teens looked at her in varying degrees of shock as she nodded happily.

"I thought you already had your outfit together." Sneered Lauren.

Bella let the negativity pass her by, not affected in the least. Lauren was always unhappy about something, it was easy to ignore now. She simply shrugged in response and smiled at Jessica, who looked positively giddy to have another girl to ohh and ahh at her possible selections.

As the conversation moved on Angela took hold of the laptop and typed. Bella glanced at the screen and smiled at the straight forward question.

What are you trying to get out of doing? 

She looked at Angela, and tried to keep her eyes wide and innocent, but it didn't work. The other girl tapped the screen and arched her eyebrow. Bella scrunched her nose at her teasingly and then wrote.

_Dance lessons with Alice._

Angela's eyebrows furrowed slightly.

Is that all?

_It's DANCE LESSONS! I can't dance._

Which is why you are getting lessons. It isn't so bad. Give it a chance. Dancing can be fun. 

Bella looked over at her skeptically.

It can. You just have to relax.

Bella bit her lip and admitted the fear that was holding her back.

_What if they laugh at me?_

Angelo's eyebrow shot up and surprise.

I don't think they will laugh at you. At least not in a bad way.

_What other way is there?_

You know, the laughing with you kind. I'm sure there are bound to be a few amusing incidents that will happen during the lessons Bella.

Bella looked at the words in confusion, then she chuckled to herself when she understood.

_No, I mean what will I do if the other kids laughed at me during the dance._

Angela gave an unconcerned shrug.

If they laugh it is only because they're jealous.

Bella considered this.

_So you don't think I'll make a fool of myself?_

Another shrug from her friend.

Even if you do, who cares? No one's opinion matters but your own. As long as you're having fun go ahead and make a fool of yourself. Talk to Emmett, he sure knows how to let loose. Ask him about last year's winter ball. I'm sure you'll get a laugh out of it. 

Bella was feeling immensely better and wondered why she hadn't thought to talk to Angela about this before. Dance lessons didn't seem so bad now, and if she hadn't been so reluctant to talk maybe she wouldn't now be committed to a shopping trip. A trip with Jessica of all people. Bella refused to back out and accepted the trip as a self imposed punishment for her reluctance.

Alice took the news that she was going to Port Angeles well, but considering the fact that she knew she had her for the whole weekend Bella wasn't too surprise.

Jasper have smiled indulgently when he accepted her kiss and the instructions to get her bag from her room.

"_I'll be home as soon as I can. I'll text you to let you know I'm safe."_

Home. By Jasper side. She could be anywhere, and as long as Jasper was by her it would be home.

She climbed into Jessica's car and tried to give her and Angela an enthusiastic smile. Angela saw through it and just gave her a wicked grin. Shit. She had unintentionally tapped into Angela's playful side. She could only imagine what she would end up doing this afternoon thanks to that. She was grateful Emmett tried to stay clear of the humans otherwise he might have recognized a fellow prankster within Angela. Bella shuttered to think of what ideas those two could come up with together.

Bella sat in the back of the car during the drive to Port Angeles and listened to the easy conversation between Angela and Jessica. Jessica was always nicer when away from the harsher nature of Lauren. She molded herself to the people around her. Bella wondered if she did that on purpose, or if she was completely ignorant of that aspect of her personality.

Once inside the dress shop Angela struck. She made Bella give her opinion on EVERY SINGLE THING, and considering it was Jessica they were shopping for, there were a lot of things. Where these earrings too big or too small? Was this necklace just low enough to bring the eye down to her bosom without it looking like that was what she wanted? Should she put her hair up with clips that sparkled or that were hidden? Should she just leave her hair down? Or would that hide previously looked at earrings and necklace? Moving on to options if she did leave her hair down, then of course she would need larger earrings. It went on and on and on. It was exhausting.

Angela took pity after a while and let her brain rest from trying to figure out what to say to Jessica.

"Is there anything you need to get while we are here?"

Bella shook her head. She had gone out and gotten all the bells and whistles for her outfit already. Lauren might have been harsh about it at lunch, but she had said the truth. Bella did have her outfit finished.

Bella had a sudden desire to go back to the bookshop that Jasper had taken her to on their first date. She needed something familiar and comforting to wash away the past few hours. She jotted a quick note to the other two girls to let them know where she was headed.

"Sure thing, Bella. Want to meet us over at the Italian restaurant on Main in an hour?" Angela asked, and she got a nod from Jessica as well.

Bella signed her agreement, gathered her things, and headed out the door while texting Jasper her intentions.

A few wrong turns later she found the shop and smiled broadly as she took in a deep breath, letting the scent of the books to fill her. Her body relaxed instantly. She browsed the store for a while then paid for her selections, excited to show Jasper the new book that would be up for discussion at next month's book club. They were hardbacks, so had the annoyance of extra bulk and weight, but the story looked interesting and she was eager to see what the others in the group had to say about it.

As she left the store her eyes scanned the flyer of upcoming events and announcements. She let her feet take her back in the direction she had come from. Done looking over the words she looked up and then frowned at her surroundings. This didn't look familiar. She cast her eyes around at the buildings surrounding her, and recognized none of them. She bit her lip in indecision and chose the direction that she thought would lead her back toward Main Street and her friends.

~Jasper~

Jasper looked up when Alice's emotions went into the almost meditative state that signalled a vision. He was bored out of his mind, and the book in his hand held no interest for him. He stiffened when her emotions went wild.

Shock. Fear. Grief. Anger.

Each struck before the other had time to ebb, causing the tension to rise and rise to uncomfortable levels.

He waited for it to end. Needed to know what was happening.

He flinched when the soft music of the piano crashed to a halt. Something was definitely wrong, Edward treated that piano like it was made of glass. He never pounded on it, even when he was angry. Anxiety began to fill Jasper. Edward darted to stand in front of him, eyes wide. He knew what was happening, and was not trapped in the vision like Alice.

Edward's voice was harsh in his urgency, "It's Bella. We need to go. NOW."

* * *

A/N: Okay. That's all for now! Sorry for the cliffy, but I have already started the next chapter, so hopefully it won't be so long to get it posted and y'all can find out what happens next. I would love to hear what you think. As always, I respond to all reviews if I'm able. Til next time!


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. I own nothing and am just playing with them.

A/N: Another chapter so quickly! Wow! Please please please do not expect another chapter in a week. This was an aberration, a wonderful one, but still one nonetheless. I will do my best to keep a faster posting schedule, but I haven't even started writing the next chapter yet.

Thanks to everyone who continues to follow and support my story. Hello to all my new readers! Thank you all for the wonderful reviews, alerts, and faves! Smooches to everyone!

I'm going to bounce from perspective to perspective. Hopefully it will be understandable without out right declarations. Hint: Jasper, Bella, Jasper.

* * *

Car. Car. Car. Need a car. Need a FAST car. NOW. Bella Bellabellabella. Need to get to Bella.

Jasper took a quick inventory of the cars in the garage and headed toward Rose's suped up convertible.

"No. We'll take my car." Edward stated with finality.

Jasper roared at him.

"Think about it Jasper. We need a car that will be more inconspicuous. Not one that says 'oh officer, please pull me over since you can easily see that I'm going 120 down the back roads of Washington'. " Edward explained dryly.

Jasper conceded the point only because he was unwilling to waste time arguing and turned towards Edward's Volvo, but not without a glower in his direction to emphasize his unhappiness.

"Not necessary Jasper. I know what you are thinking." Edward took hold of the driver's side door handle when Jasper stopped him.

"I'm driving." Jasper said roughly.

"No. You are in no state to drive right now. I'm the most rational, so I will drive."

_Of course he is rational. Like he cares what happens to my Bella. My love. My little kitten. _

Edward winced in response to his thoughts, but Jasper continued to stare him down.

"He's right Jasper. Just get in the car. We need to go, now." Alice appeared at his side and slid into the passenger seat, leaving the back for him.

Jasper waited until they hit the driveway before starting his interrogation. He directed his questions to Alice, happy when Edward remained silent and focused on just driving.

"What is going to happen?"

"Bella will be attacked by several men." Her anxiety was palpable.

"Where?"

"In an alley or vacant lot of some kind. I couldn't see any discernable businesses in the area." Alice's answer was full of regret in both tone and emotion. He knew she would give more if she could.

"She was going to the bookstore. She must have gotten lost. Fuck. I need to get her a phone with a fucking GPS." Jasper ranted.

"This isn't her fault, Jasper."

"I know it isn't! It's mine. I should have known she would get lost." Jasper chastised himself. He had always prided himself on seeing possible problems and fixing them before they could happen. Look at what happened; he hadn't even considered this a serious issue and now his mate was in serious trouble.

"Jasper," Alice said softly. "It isn't your fault either. I have the sight and I didn't know until just now. Things happen. Life happens. It's no one's fault."

"What will happen if we don't get there in time?" Jasper whispered.

Alice was silent, her body was frozen in her unwillingness to speak.

"Edward." His voice was sharp with command.

"She will be beaten, raped, and left in a gutter." Edward responded without emotion.

Jasper roared again, his nails digging into the seat.

"Watch the upholstery!" Edward reprimanded.

"Fuck your upholstery! Drive faster!"

"I'm going as fast as I can. The car is maxed out!"

Jasper dug into his pocket and pulled out his phone and began to text Bella. No response. He called, even knowing she couldn't say anything. The very fact that he was trying to call would alert her to the severity of the situation. Nothing.

He could feel the beast in him trying to take control.

"Jasper!"

His eyes snapped to meet Edward's in the rearview mirror.

"Calm down! It might not have happened yet. Can't you feel her or something? Isn't your glorious bond that intense?" Bitterness laced his words and emotions, but Jasper ignored it as he latched onto the rational bit of information.

He felt like a moron. The bond. Of course. He would use the bond to see if she was okay, and to find her.

He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. It wasn't enough and he almost wished he could use his power on himself to give him the false calm he so desperately needed. Another breath. He looked inside and centered his focus on his bond with Bella.

There! She was confused and a bit nervous, but there was no fear. Nothing had happened yet. He let out a breath and relayed the information to the others.

Jasper let his hand come up to his chest, fingers touching where their bond emanated before he opened his eyes. He focused intently on the space in front of him, where the bond should be visible. He had never tried when they were so far apart. He had mastered finding it when she was home, but that was just across town, not a different city.

He found the faint glimmer and focused intently upon it until it shone brightly. It couldn't guide him now, but it would as soon as they entered the city. Alice couldn't tell them where Bella was so it was up to him.

The sight of the bond also served to calm him, and he was able to become a bit more rational. He debated on how he would hold back the monster if they got there too late. He no longer feared losing Bella's love, but that didn't mean he _wanted_ her to see the darkest part of himself.

He slumped back into the seat, eyes never leaving the glow that connected him to his mate. He allowed his gift to aid him in picking up the nuances of emotion that travelled the bond. Her anxiety was growing, but as of yet, she was not afraid.

Bella looked at the shadows as they seemed to creep closer to her. It shouldn't have taken this long to get to a recognizable road. She hesitated at a juncture and looked in all directions, unsure.

She jumped when she heard several sets of footsteps. A momentary relief was banished when raucous laughter caused chills to go up her spine. She turned from the noise, going in what she believed was the opposite direction.

A frisson of fear made her shiver and speed up more. The need to run warred with the need to try to stay hidden. She looked around, trying to pinpoint where they were. The sounds bounced and echoed off the buildings, refusing to give direction to the source of danger. She blindly turned a corner and ran into a trash can. It crashed to the ground with a thunderous boom. Bella froze.

"What was that?"

Shit. They were closer than she had thought if she could hear their voices so clearly..

"Who cares? Probably just some cat."

Vicious laughter travelled down the alley to taunt her.

"Let's go get it. Haven't kicked a cat in a while."

"Why are you kicking cats? That's sick."

"Aww, come on man. If it's too slow to keep from getting caught, it deserves it."

"Whatever."

Bella ran. She tried to be silent, but the dogs were on the hunt. They caught sight of her as she turned down the next street.

"It's a girl!"

"Hell, yeah. Who wants to chase a cat, when I can get a little pussy!"

Adrenaline gave her speed, but fear gave her clumsiness. She stumbled several times as she tried to escape. She heard the footsteps coming closer and willed her body to give another burst of speed. The buildings vanished, and she was running through a vacant lot. Nowhere to hide.

A hand grabbed at her wrist and held tight, pulling her to a stop. She swung around, and used the momentum to swing the bag at her attacker. Her books hit the man across the head and he let her go in surprise. She tried to run, but the others had taken the moment to surround her. Her eyes flicked over them, looking for an escape. She found none. There were four of them, all young and inebriated if the glazed look in their eyes said anything.

One of them came at her, a dark leer on his face. Her hands curled up, and she attacked. She scratched him across the face. She felt her nails dig deep, and blood poured down from the gashes.

"You little bitch!" He backhanded her across her cheek, and white light and pain blinded her.

A red haze covered her eyes as sight returned. She instinctively crouched lower and snarled.

"Woah, we have a feisty one here."

They tested her, causing her to advance or retreat in response to their movements. She got in a few good hits and kicks, but it only seemed to work them up even more. One of them lunged at her and she struck; she heard a satisfying crunch when she thrust the palm of her hand against his nose in a move her father had taught her.

"FUCK. I think she broke my nose." The man felt his nose with a grimace. "Shit, Drake. That's enough. Let's go."

Drake scowled at him, "Go back the car if you can't handle it, Scott. I have every intention of going all the way."

Scott looked shocked. "This is serious shit. We had our fun. We need to stop."

"Go. To. The. Car."

"Josh, Frank, let's go."

The other men hesitated, clearly torn. Drake spoke in a harsh, arrogant tone. "They have dicks between their legs, not a cunt like you. They'll be staying to have some fun."

The others nodded agreement.

"It's not like she's said no. Maybe she's having good time too. What do ya say girlie? Up for a little fun?"

"_Go fuck yourself."_ Her emphatic gestures only made the ringleader howl with laughter.

"Woohoo boys! We got ourselves a deafer. That makes this even more fun. Never done a cripchick her."

The followers lunged at her, each grabbing an arm. She fought, but they pulled against her and held her still.

"This is messed up."

"Run along, goodytwoshoes."

Bella turned her head toward Scott, and sent a pleading look to him. He looked at her with sympathy, but just shook his head and turned away. He never looked back.

Drake chuckled wickedly and stepped into her line of sight.

"You're a pretty little if you are as soft as you look." He reached out and touched her cheek.

Shudders of revulsion went through her and she snapped at him. Her teeth bit deep into his hand, and she tasted blood. Drake screamed and pulled his hand back.

"You little bitch!" He punched her hard.

Her head snapped back and she tasted blood again, this time her own.

Drake punched her again and she felt her mouth fill. She spit the contents out, the blood and saliva sprayed across her attackers face.

He grabbed her shirt and ripped it down the front, then tore off the bottom half of the shirt in a few short jerks. She shivered as cool air hit her skin. Then shivered again as the three remaining men leered at her and laughed evilly. Drake wrapped the fabric around her mouth and roughly knotted it behind her head. She winced as he pulled her hair into the knot.

"Try biting me now, little bitch."

She lunged at him, as much as she could with two men holding her arms, and smiled when he flinched backward.

Drake snarled at her as he stopped his backward movement. He came forward, a new serious glint in his eye that made her begin to pant in fear. He pulled her bra up and exposed her breasts to his sight. He slowly trailed his finger across her chest before reaching down and twisting her left nipple. Pain shot through her and her mouth opened in a silent scream.

Fear.

Bella's fear slivered into Jasper from across the bond. Jasper grabbed the edge of Edward's seat and screamed out his rage in his head. He only peripherally noticed Edward's grimace. Edward's pain was inconsequential at the moment.

The bond began to flicker, and he sharpened his focus on it, encouraging its inner light to shine.

"We're getting close. I need you to guide me now."

Jasper nodded and held his hand above the bond, to let Edward see the direction he needed to go as he mentally instructed him. _I need to focus on the bond, but I will move my hand as it moves. Hurry Edward. She's afraid. Hurry. Hurryhurryhurryhurry._

The plea began a litany that looped unending in his mind.

Edward's response was to lean forward in his own increased focus and attempt to push the car even harder. The world whipped by in a blur. The car slowed and Jasper growled harshly.

"Jasper," Edward tried to soothe him, "we are getting close to the city roads. Even I can't make those turns doing 120. I have to back down to 90. We're almost there. Just keep leading me."

Pain shot into him and his rage exploded. "She's hurt."

His arm stretched out more, as if he could reach her easier if he just tried harder.

Close. He was close. It was easier to see the bond. Jasper allowed a portion of his mind to strategize about the possible outcomes of whatever was happening to Bella, and how best to get her out of the situation. He knew that he, ultimately, shouldn't permanently hurt the humans, but he just didn't know if he could do that. The need to punish these monsters for even _thinking_ to touch his mate was pushing on his control. Bella's fear and pain were tempting his monster to come out to play.

"We're close. I can hear them." Edward's voice broke into his thoughts.

"What are they thinking?" Jasper demanded.

"Nothing you need to know. But they haven't gone too far yet."

"Too far. Which means they have gone farther than they should." His monster took another step forward.

"Yes."

The car fishtailed around a corner and into a deserted parking lot. Only it wasn't deserted. His gaze swept over the scene and he snarled. He was out of the car before it even stopped.

Jasper pulled the man away from Bella and lifted him up by his neck. The other two stared at him in shock and then let his Bella go before turning to run.

"Alice. Edward." Jasper commanded as he sent Bella his love and gently pulled the gag off with his free hand.

His siblings easily waylaid the runaways from escaping and brought the struggling figures back.

"Bella. Go to the car." Jasper instructed as he turned his attention to her attacker.

There was a tug on his sleeve, and he looked down into her wide, uncertain eyes. Her fear was slowly leaving her, but it was the shame that he needed to fix. He focused on her, taking in her slightly hunched figure and the position of her hands as they clutched the edges of her torn shirt together. He sent her more love, but he couldn't comfort her just yet. He needed to avenge her first.

"Bella. Kitten, please. Go to the car. I need to talk to this man for a moment. He needs to understand the error of his ways. Let me handle this. You are safe now." He pushed his hand into her hair, the smooth tresses soothed him as they wrapped around his fingers.

She leaned into his hand a moment and gave him a little nod. Jasper watched her until she slid into the back seat and closed the door.

The man was struggling futilely against his grip. A low deep growl rolled up his throat. The man stilled and he could smell the fear. Good.

"Now you start to understand."

He carefully applied pressure to the man's neck. He turned red. Jasper dropped him and he crumpled into a heap at his feet. He panted harshly and began to get up. Jasper kicked him and smiled when he heard the distinct sound of a rib cracking.

The idiot tried to get up again and Jasper bent his knee, only to have the boy flinch back and fall onto his ass as he tried to crabwalk backward to avoid an attack. Jasper chuckled and the man glared up at him.

Jasper looked down his nose at scum and mocked, "Oh, the little boy starts to feel what he has done to others."

"We were just talking." The boy tried to justify in a charismatic tone.

Jasper caught his chin and turned his face to the side. "These scratches and her blood on you says something else."

"Fuck you. She didn't say no."

Wrong thing to say.

Jasper knocked him back, indifferent to when he slammed the man's head against the pavement. He crouched over him, hand holding him down and roared, "Because she _can't speak._"

The man glared at him.

"You shouldn't have approached her. You shouldn't have _spoken_ to her. You shouldn't have _touched her._"

"Girls like it when I touch them. She might deny it to you, but she knows she loved it."

"You sick fuck. Get off on hurting women, do you?" Jasper snarled as venom began to fill his mouth.

Bella's attacker didn't answer, but the sudden surge of lust from him was answer enough. Jasper leaned close and whispered in his ear. "I bet you fantasize about what you will do to them. How you will hurt them. Do you jack off, thinking about your victims?"

When the man remained silent, Jasper looked up at Edward. The bronze boy had a look of disgust on his face as their eyes met and he nodded.

"Not my girl, you won't."

The man watched in horror as Jasper meticulously broke first one hand, then the other. His screams echoed off the abandoned buildings nearby.

"You fucking asshole. What are you doing? No girl is worth hurting another guy over. Bros before hoes! All girls are asking for it, whether they say no or not. What's the big deal?"

Jasper began to punch him. Grinning as he heard first the man's nose break, then his jaw. Blood poured from his face, and Jasper relished in his pain. He focused on the man and assaulted him with loathing, despair, worthlessness and agony.

"Jasper, you need to stop now."

He growled at Alice. How dare she interrupt?

"You're getting his blood all over you." She tried to reason with him.

"Is that a problem for you, dear sister?" he mocked.

"No, but too much more and it might cause Bella distress."

That brought him up short. He looked toward the car and saw her watching them. Slowly, he stood up.

He walked toward the other boys, who were still restrained by his siblings. They began to struggle, like all prey do when a predator has them in their sights.

Before he could speak the one held by Alice whimpered. The sound was followed by a slew of words. "I didn't touch her. I'm sorry. Please, please don't hurt me."

"Why are you apologizing? If you did nothing wrong then there is no need to apologize." Jasper cooed.

"Uh, um, I..."

Jasper pursed his lips slightly and placed a finger over them in a mixture between the well known shush and thinking gestures.

"The simple fact that you are apologizing so quickly means you know you did something wrong. Isn't that right?" Jasper tilted his head and directed the last question to the boy in Edward's grip.

Only small squeaking whines escaped his mouth as it flapped open like a fish gasping for life giving water.

Jasper turned his gaze back to the first boy. "What did you do?"

"I...I didn't do anything."

"Precisely." Jasper hissed in his ear. "You did _nothing._ Nothing to stop this from happening. Nothing to help this innocent girl from being beaten and raped."

"I was just doing what he told me to," the boy stammered weakly.

"So too said the Nazi."

The man flinched.

"The truth too hard for you? Who is _that_," emphatic gesture toward the collapsed figure on the ground, "to tell you what to do with your life? Who are you to follow blindly where you know you should not be? Do not blame others for your actions, for in the end they are done by your choice."

"But...I...he...I..."

Alice's bell tone chimed in, "Your direction in life is determined by the choices you make. Each choice alters the path in some way. Be careful how you choose, for once the choice is made it and the path stepped upon, it can't be undone."

The boy looked down at her, clearly having forgotten she was there. The surprise he emitted when she began confirmed it.

Shame and regret washed over him from both of the accomplices. Jasper pushed the emotions back at them and increased them exponentially. He shot both hands out and grabbed them by their throats. Their eyes widened and Jasper reveled in the fear, a grin across his face. He shoved lethargy at them, and the boys sank to the ground in slumber.

Jasper looked into the eyes of his siblings, surprised to see the approval there. He tested them with his gift and found satisfaction and pride at the forefront.

"Thank you." He emphasized his words by letting them feel his gratitude.

Edward nodded and Alice smiled happily, bouncing lightly on her toes.

"Shall we go?" she asked.

"One moment." He knelt by the crumpled boy who had dared to attack his mate.

The boy whimpered weakly and tried to shift away as Jasper knelt down and pressed his index finger to his sweating forehead. Jasper gave him another dose of fear, loathing, and pain before shoving the man into sleep with his own dose of lethargy. The man shuddered and Jasper nodded his satisfaction before standing.

Alice looked at him questioningly.

"Bella will not be the only one with nightmares tonight." He turned away from her and let his focus move to his mate. Her need for him had been battering at the back of his awareness since he had sent her to the car. Now that he had seen to getting her a little piece of justice, he could comfort her and help her to get past this event.

He slid onto the part of the back seat that Bella vacated the moment he opened the door. He began to remember everything he had just done, and the fact that she had been watching the whole time. He had not been aware of any negative emotions coming from their bond. Did he push them out of his conscious mind while he had been trying to bring about the much needed retribution? Had he scared her when he had given in to a portion of his more vicious nature?

Jasper did something he rarely did with Bella and actively used his gift to tap into her. Combined with his bond to her he felt her love, relief, and gratitude overwhelm him just as her body lunged forward. He gently caught her and pulled her into his arms. He buried his head into her hair and inhaled deeply, only giving a minor rumble when he noted the residual scent of the other males on her. He rubbed his arms along her body to comfort her, as well as to replace those scents with his own. Jasper nuzzled her neck and began to lick her neck and jaw softly, a comforting purr escaped his own.

A soft cough sounded from the front seat and Jasper looked up to see Edward's amused gaze on them. "Ready?"

Jasper nodded and gathered Bella closer to him as Edward put the car in drive and they began the trip home.

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A/N: I hope y'all liked this one! I would love to hear what you think. As always, I respond to all reviews. :)


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